Interview - South Johansson

For the first time I sit down with New GA affiliate South Johansson about his music, the tape Tell The Truth | Shame The Devil, and what's coming up next for him. It was quite an enlightening talk to be sure. Check it out and see what we spoke on.

LUCIUS: So this is my first time sitting down with you. Glad that you consented to do this interview.

SOUTH: For sure, bruh. Glad you took the time to reach out and have me here. I am very appreciative for that.

LUCIUS: How goes 2015 for you thus far?

SOUTH: 2015 is great. Networking, working hard and working on myself in the process. Personal growth and growing with the music as well. And, of course, promoting this new project. It’s being received well by the listeners.

LUCIUS: So where did the name South Johansson come from?

SOUTH: South use to be short for Southernaire. Back home in Augusta most people called me by the full name. Then I moved to Oklahoma City for six years and they only called me South. I grew tired of the name. I'd always liked the sound of the name South Johansson. It just had a nice ring to it and stood out everywhere. Then I did a little research on Wikipedia as well and discovered that last name is attached to quite a few individuals from all walks of life. Inventors, athletes, musicians, authors, actors, actresses, etc. So my reason/meaning for using it after seeing that was to become successful at more than one thing. Do not ever limit yourself to one thing. Do not ever limit yourself, period!

LUCIUS: When did you first start rapping?

SOUTH: I was a late bloomer. I was fresh out the military, had a little money in my pocket and was bored so I picked up rapping. I didn’t start messing around with music until 2006. I didn’t take it serious until '07 or '08. By that time, I moved to Oklahoma City and by 2010 I had two songs in rotation on the radio. That’s when I knew I could really do this “music thing” with the best of them.

LUCIUS: Was there a person, place, thing, or idea that got you started with rhyming?

SOUTH: My partners Nile Rowe, Magnolia, and Lil' Charles. We use to get high, drunk and stay in Da Bottom all day making music at Cool Hand Luke's spot. (chuckles) Daily. Just young and having fun. We were like the Wu Tang Clan of Augusta. Everyone on the team had a different style but we all could rap and stood for something. It was like ten of us. I miss those days. Everything seemed so pure at that time until that thing called life kicks in. Some make it through, some disappear. I’m proud I made it this far though.

LUCIUS: So I started listening to Tell The Truth | Shame The Devil. Your flow, your delivery is unique and I dig it. How would you describe both?

SOUTH: It’s very aggressive. You can definitely tell I’m trying to get my point across but I keep it Southern and smooth at the same time. I love to explore different things musically depending on the beat. I hate hearing the same cadence, sound, or style. From myself or anyone. I don’t like to hear the predictable. It’s a turn off as an artist and listener. I’m just trying to bring a new sound to Georgia instead of the same ol' same ol', you know? That way I can separate myself from that bullshit I hear on the radio day in and day out. It’s a whole new Southern rap tune over this way, you feel me?

LUCIUS: I first heard you on iBeast's Cadillac Diaries. The track "RNO" really introduced me to you. Tell me a bit about that track for your standpoint.

SOUTH: RNO, Real Niggaz Only. I just wanted to let folks know that we need to stop glorifying stupidity. Real niggas are educated, taking care of their family, trying to make a play by any means necessary to move up the ladder legally. And if you’re a dope boy, cool. But have a exit plan. You can’t live that life forever. Move in a direction to OWN SOMETHING, stop worrying about now, provide ways for yourself and others by making good investment and career choices. It’s okay to have a future. I don’t see anything real about being in and out of jail, teaching our youth how to twerk and treating social media like the bible. Babies out here having babieswhile we just sit back and let it entertain us. This new generation is the most independent but laziest group of people I have ever seen in my life. Real niggas take care of business, not put you out of one. We need to learn that, in more ways than one.

LUCIUS: So how closely affiliated are you with the #NewGA movement?

SOUTH: We support each other. I am apart of the Spotey Club roster but we’re all #NewGA as far as the new wave of music we’re trying to spread throughout the city. I record, mix and master damn near all of iBeast music, too. So that’s where our affiliation started. I was a fan of all the music (iBeast, Fly Mindz & India Catrice) before anything and it grew from there. Now where you see one, you will probably see all. We just rock like that. I fuck with all of them the long way.

LUCIUS: Let's talk on the tape for a second. Explain to me why you chose the title and the concept if any.

SOUTH: Just grew up hearing that all the time and I got to a point where I got tired of rapping just to be rapping. So I made a promise to myself as long as I’m making music. I will only speak on things in my life or linked to me. I will no longer care about what’s “hot” or “trending”. I will only make honest music. Some songs are brutally honest but that’s the power of art. No rules, no limits when it’s you and you are completely being yourself. I’ve never felt more free and excited about a project until I put this out. And people are rocking with it. This is the path I was meant to be on and it’s my own so imma drive on it freely. Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil.

LUCIUS: The first track I really like from the tape is "The Final Straw". Give us some insight on making the track from start to finish.

SOUTH: (laughs) I was just reminiscing when I was a teen. Speaking on a stage in my life that most young adults go through when you think you know everything, your parents are the enemy and girls are your world. Just living young, wild, and free without a care in the world. (laughs). But, all things do come to an end and my pops gave me a choice to stay home and pay bills, go to school (college), go to the military or get out his house. I was never home anyway so I chose to go into the military at seventeen, knocking out two birds with one stone. Out of the house and no more school. I was so stupid then but I needed it. Now me and my father are closer than ever. That’s one of my favorite songs by the way. Mainly, it has the Andre 3000 "Prototype" sample in it. Classic!

LUCIUS: Another track I put on repeat is "Sorry" featuring Naj Murphy. How did this one come about?

SOUTH: Me being young and a dog ass nigga, ultimately. (laughs). In the song, I was apologizing to my ex, who I am very close with til this day, for doing what I did back then. We got caught up in some he said/she said and I thought she cheated (which I should have know better) and without asking too many questions, I just moved on to another girl (a Dominicana. I will not reveal her real name). After it was too late, I found out it was just a rumor from a dude we both knew. He just wanted her so he made up a lie, got others on board and it ended us. I recently seen that guy back home though. He was VERY apologetic but it’s water under the bridge now. We live and we learn.

LUCIUS: I'm familiar with both J3 as a producer and as a rapper. How was it working with him to create "Drink 'Til Sober"?

SOUTH: Great. He sent me a link to his Soundcloud and I chose that beat within ten minutes. It was the first song I did on this project. Shouts out to J3!

LUCIUS: So what are a few of your favorite tracks from Tell The Truth | Shame The Devil? Are there any that aren't your favorites?

SOUTH: I like all the tracks on the project. I just press play and let that thang ride. Very proud of myself on this one and hopefully everyone else will enjoy it.

LUCIUS: So what else does South Johansson have planned for us in 2015? Anything big for 2016?

SOUTH: More networking, more shows, more visuals and trying to get the project into the right hands. Continue to build on my firm loyal listener base so when the time approaches, anything I drop is undeniable and can not be overlooked by anyone.

LUCIUS: What impact if any are you trying to make with your music?

SOUTH: Be you. Be honest. Create your own art and never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do because of what it looks like on the other side or your age. I am so tired of artists, listeners and the music industry using age as an excuse. The “music industry” prefers young people because it’s easier to mold and finesse them out a check. Remember that people. It has nothing to do with your music. You create a crazy fan base and bigger song, A&R’s and all will find any way to contact you. There is no age limit on creativity so stop buying into that bullshit. The industry is scared of you at a mature age because if you’ve done your homework, they can’t use you and MUST pay you what you’re worth. Straight like that. Build your wave, your sound and movement and the world is yours. That’s the impact I’m trying to make on people. Don’t be scared to be you, get out your comfort zone and change lives. Let your music pull emotions out of listeners.

LUCIUS: Who are really listening to right now as far as music goes?

SOUTH: Snoop Dogg – Bush (Album), Tyler The Creator – CherryBomb (Album), Outkast, Sauce Walka, The Internet, Melodic Dubstep, D.R.A.M., Casey Veggies, Dom Kennedy, Curren$y and of course...(laughs) my shit. I could go on and on but I’ll stop there.

LUCIUS: Anything you want to say or share with anyone reading this article?

SOUTH: Support local artists like you support these major artists you don’t even know. It’s a shame all the great indie music (all genres) out here and you only worried about who you see on TV or hear on the radio.

LUCIUS: Any last shouts out?

SOUTH: Shouts out to anyone and everyone who support me. You know who you are and I am very appreciative for that. Thank you.

LUCIUS: Where can people listen to your music and/or keep up with you?

SOUTH: You can hear and download Tell The Truth | Shame The Devil on Audiomack for free right now. Look me up on Soundcloud and YouTube, as well. Follow me on twitter - @sxvthjohansson, instagram - sxvthjohansson

LUCIUS: Thanks for your time.

SOUTH: No problem, bruh.

'Nation' Builds The Empire

(By way of a disclaimer, if you've yet to see the epic film 300 then the introduction to this review will make little to no sense to you.)

In the film 300 Leonidas and a Persian messenger have a rather heated conversation about choosing their words carefully. For those who know this scene it doesn't end well for the messenger at all.

But it gets me thinking about the words we use. As a writer I like to think that I use an excellent array of syllables to elucidate my eloquence.

(See what I did there?)

But I take a backseat to a duo of rappers whose description of themselves as "unapologetically deep" is so accurate that no disputes can be made to contrary without sounding stupid.

That duo is Barz Damu and TrailBlazzorMuzik, New GA artists the Fly Mind Poets.

Their latest offering to the sonic tableau is the compilation tape known as Nation Leakz.

The compilation album was, by their own admission, meant to be something of a throwaway. (Oddly enough, iBeast said the same thing about Cadillac Diaries). What it ended being was a soulful and in depth view into the unique purview of the two rappers.

Usually I would talk about a few tracks and leave at that. However this one requires a full analysis. So here we go.

"What Is NL?" is, for all intents and purposes, a history lesson masquerading as an intro. Here TrailBlazzorMuzik tells us how the Fly Mind Poets linked up with New GA, the release of the Fly Minds EP, the death of friend Quincy "Q" Suggs, and the music. He [Blazzor] goes on to tell us that Nation Leakz is the second step, the point where these two artists start showing us who they are both individually and as a duo while whetting our appetites for their solo projects.

"The Urgency" is next, produced by Jordeaux. It lulls you slightly before drum beats and the flow hits you almost immediately. This track shows two ambitious artists who are refusing to wait for success to come to them. They are recognizing the urgency of life, of fame and stepping out on their own skills in an attempt to race time. It's a sentiment that any and all of trying to do more can relate to.

A favorite track is "Scholarship Problems" featuring the always amazing iBeast. Originally meant for iBeast's Cadillac Diaries the track was added to the Nation Leakz because they [Fly Mind Poets] wanted 'the vibe' on the project.

And what a vibe it is.

Propelled by a jazz inspired horn section the production lends itself well to the three voices.

Lyrically speaking, the track speaks of advancing and learning. To me the title draws a parallel to the problems college students often have maintaining a scholarship and the things that we sometimes must sacrifice to keep that blessing as well as the growth it can supply.

This is reinforced by an amazing hook:

They say that Satan just need a vessel

The police just need a nigga

Excuse me for all of my wrongdoing

But I ain't finna let life make me a victim

Did some wrong to try to eat better

Stepped on some toes to move up a level

Not an OG, no thug life

Not a killer, nigga

I'm just a rebel

Being that I have previously spoken on "Genius Genes" as well as "ShoeBoxInTheClosetFlow" and "Motivational Speakerz", I won't say anything about them outside of reinforcing how amazing these tracks are. Anything further can be found in the links at the end of this article.

"Bounce" is another of those clever tracks that uses many different definitions to deliver in spades. The word, obviously, is 'bounce'. Blazzor plays well against a somewhat dark beat that shows both his absolute eloquence and the apparent creativity.

"Perfectly Mistaken" is a laid back and well crafted track. So much so that I won't trust my paltry words to touch it. What I will do I quote Barz when I asked him about it in our recent interview.

"The song is touching on how we can be so prideful in ourselves that we do not own up to our mistakes. On the other end of it, we get too hard on ourselves for making mistakes rather than moving forward with a healthy self worth and pride..."

What else needs to be said?

From there we move on to  "Dwayne James”, which is, an interesting track. This is why is why: here we are given Barz and Blazzor rapping over an instrumental from Dom Kennedy's Yellow Album ("We Ball" featuring Kendrick Lamar). It surprises both artists that the track seems to be a favorite for many of the listeners to the tape. By his own admission, Blazzor isn't particularly fond of the track.

The next two tracks play like an introspective interlude to an already rather well put together tape.

"Rap Ramblin'" is unadulterated in its smoothness. Barz presents free associated over the beat, his delivery powerful but nowhere near a yell. Some of the subjects include being Southern born, crooked cops, and the lifting of one's consciousness.

"The Key" is another of those overly deep pieces that even my mind is dubious about touching on. So we allow a quote from my interview with the brothers to illuminate the brilliance on this one.

"I wrote it a capella. It was really a diary to self. Nothing more was expected. That was until I found a beat to match. (laughs). But it was basically an attempt to ground myself through my frustration of perceived limitation within myself. And eventually, at the end, I found the key to ease my restlessness. It’s like a literal meditation laid out for you to hear. This is the thought process I tend to have when I try to ease my frustrations in private..."

"Reminiscin'" is the next offering , an track of cool, horn heavy trip down memory lane. Hearing it takes me two places. One is towards my own Savannah born days while the other allows me access to the place Barz and Blazzor are taking us. Calii Dream comes through towards the end to deliver a great verse with his unique timbre.

"75" is the obligatory riding song from a Southern artist. From some artists this seems like a space filler or a contrived attempt to get a cheap pop on a lackluster project.

THIS ISN'T THAT.

Blazzor adds himself to a lexicon, a pantheon of legends in a strong showing with his storytelling and epic flow as he waxes poetic about Atlanta's I-75.

"Trippin'" is, to me, introspection at its finest. We have all been visited by old habits and the ghosts of the things we once were. Things like that can make any man (or woman) trip out, especially with Barz 'riding around sipping on a cup of some of that something something'.

"Ignore-Rant" is clever wordplay on the title and, from what I can see and hear, a rant of sorts coupled with storytelling in a freefall format. It's played over a beat (produced by KlausePrime) that I cannot qualify or quantify particularly but it carries a nice effect. Maybe later on I'll gain some clairvoyance and another view on this one. Stay tuned.

"Self Centered" has an Caribbean sort of vibe to it. Here we are once again confronted with a title and a track that takes it in another direction. Immediately upon reading the title you get the negative connotation of arrogance or even being cocky. But no. What Blazzor is speaking of on this track is being centered within oneself, focused on growing and being something better. It's concepts and ideas like this throughout the tape that make it so special.

This next track is one of my favorites and a lesson in context.

The track is "Sink In". 

If you were paying as much attention as I was when you dowloaded and/or bought Nation Leakz, you'll notice the similarities between this track and "What Is NL?". That's because it's the same beat, a cool something produced by Scientific). In the context of "What Is NL?" it's merely the backdrop to an eloquent explanation/history lesson..

But in this context?

It becomes an almost sensual track. To me as a music connoisseur I am reminded of 80s fare from artists like Barry White or Teddy Pendergrass. It's a smooth track that teases at double entendres through the repetition of the song's title. One can either take it to mean either allowing words to sink in or maybe sinking into the depths of a woman. Whichever you get, the track is a masterpiece.

"Goddess" and its production makes me think its producer Kelly Portis might be a music connoisseur such as myself. Sampling the Deniece Williams track "Free", this one is a poetic love song that Barz is happy to lay out for us. It's less about her looks but more about the intellectual aspect of loving someone. This is presented well and could be used on any romance movie soundtrack.

I'm about to stop here because by now you should be listening to this tape. 

Why?

Because Barz and Blazzor are building the foundations of an empire. You need to be like me and support it.

Fly Minds Poets: Interview

It's always good to catch up with #NewGA members. Today I caught up with the duo of Barz Damu and TrailBlazzorMuzik, collectively known as the Fly Mind Poets. Today we talk about the future, the new compilation tape Nation Leakz, and who they are listening to. Second interview with these brothers so let's see what they have to say.



LUCIUS: Once again, it’s good that you guys took time out to do this interview with me. I truly appreciate it.
BARZ: No problem, man. It's always a pleasure having a dialogue with you, fam.
BLAZZOR: What’s up, bruh? Honored to chop it up with you again.



LUCIUS: So the tape just dropped. Right now I think you’re potentially sitting on a monster of a tape, something I distinctly remember saying to iBeast about his tape [Cadillac Diaries]. How does that feel?
BARZ: A monster? That feels just about right. Not to be cocky but on this joint, you can tell that we are doing exactly what we want to do with the throwaways on this tape. But it all comes down to how the people digest the content that determines if I will have a monstrous impact. We'll see in due time.
BLAZZOR: To me it’s a sign of confirmation. I honestly didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted honest feedback because on this tape we showed where our general direction will be artistically. We also wanted to know if most of our Fly Minds EP supporters rocked with our versatility of sound and content. So it’s a feeling of confirmation, bruh.

LUCIUS: Explain to us the choice of Nation Leakz as the title. What was the thought process there?
BARZ: Well, basically the tape consists of songs we leaked before the Fly Minds EP dropped and some exclusive joints that were intended for our individual tapes. We decided to let those go for the fans AKA “the Nation” to enjoy and to hold them over before our upcoming projects. The Nation is basically our fans so this is a tape for them.
BLAZZOR: Nation Leakz basically means this....the Nation is us and the Fly Mind supporters and the tape was a compilation of songs we leaked within the last fifteen months plus exclusives. Hence Nation Leakz. You know?

LUCIUS: How is this new tape different from the last one? Would you say it surpasses the previous effort? Why or why not?
BARZ: It's different because there was more space for selecting the sounds we wanted. It surpasses the previous project because on this tape, there is a more expanded expression of who we are as individuals
BLAZZOR: It’s different because we had a limited selection of beats on Fly Minds EP. Z3, the Fly Minds EP’s producer, didn't have much output at the time due to life situations so we worked with what we had. On NL, we expressed more artistic freedom as far as sound especially as individuals. And I think that's why the new tape surpasses the prior one. To add to that, we opened up more on a personal level and that's what we will do more as we evolve.

LUCIUS: OK, how is it similar?
BARZ: It's similar in tenacity. On both tapes, we were in the state of mind to fuck shit up.
BLAZZOR: It's similar because the overall message is generally the same as well as the chemistry between me and Barz.

LUCIUS: So I paid close attention to your intro "What Is NL?” I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your friend Q. Being a writer my pain finds its way into my writing. How has his [Q's] passing affected your rhymes and what you write?
BARZ: It didn't affect me too much because the life he led and the way he passed touched base on what I already right about in many angles. I mean, I will speak on it. That's for sure. I write nothing but my insights and experiences so it comes out.
BLAZZOR: It tweaked my objective a little bit. It forced a slight paradigm shift in my focus to where now I took it upon myself to be the voice of my area. Though we live in the ‘burbs, law enforcement is corrupt. We’ve lost 100% of our lost ones to the gun but no one speaks on it. Everybody’s trying to be like Future, rap on Auto-Tune, speak on lean, flexing, and running through bitches. His death hit home and it just really reinforced my objective, you know. What's really happening?

LUCIUS: Long live Q. So why did you guys decide against a concept for this tape?
BARZ: Well from the jump, we knew since last year we were going to release this compilation tape. We didn't have a concept for it because it’s simply just leaks from the vault. We intended nothing deeper than that.
BLAZZOR: Well we just had so many songs that weren’t going to land on any projects we decided to package them into one. So that's why there was no concept.

LUCIUS: How was it having your brother on a track alongside you?
BARZ: It's something that has always had a flow because our chemistry is so in sync from both knowing each other and how we tick, as well as being on tracks together since before pre-teen days.
BLAZZOR: It’s dope because our differences and high standards as artists bring so much more to any track. He knows I’m going bring it and I know he will bring it. So it forces us to stay on our A game.

LUCIUS: As I'm sure you both know, I'm a major supporter and a huge fan. How many new fans are you looking to gain because of the release of Nation Leakz?
BARZ: Enough solid fans to the point where the momentum of our movement shifts from having to push vigorously on the daily with this tape, to anticipation and word of mouth has a more potent push of its own on the upcoming projects. It's about striking the right people.
BLAZZOR: I don't have an aim of how many fans. I just go with the flow. I don't really like setting expectations because it’s a set up for disappointments a lot of times.

LUCIUS: Let’s talk on the music from the tape a bit, OK? A track that I really vibe with is "Scholarship Problems" featuring the incomparable iBeast. Explain the process on this one from conception to recording.
BARZ: iBeast sent us the beat and the hook for the track along with his verse. We wrote to it and recorded our verses for one of his Cadillac Diaries sessions but it didn't make the cut. So we asked him if we can place it on the Leakz. He replied, “Run it.” So here it is. If I am not mistaken I think it was intended to be on the #NewGA summer tape, which never came into being.
BLAZZOR: Basically it to originally his idea. He wrote to it, recorded a sample, sent to us and we wrote to it. And we met up and laid it down at South [Johansson’s] house. It didn't make it on Cadillac Diaries. I think he had other plans for it but I couldn't resist asking him if we could put it on NL. I just needed that vibe on there, you know? And it's certainly one of my favorites. iBeast is very creative and this track displays it.

LUCIUS: Another track I find myself getting into has to be “Dwayne James” featuring production by Chase N. Cashe. Mind shedding a little light on that one for us?
BARZ: Basically, Blazzor wrote to the beat and asked me I wanted to get on it. I said hell yeah! This is one of the tracks we released early last year
BLAZZOR: Me and Barz are surprised at the fact that this is most people's favorite! First off, it’s not an original track. It’s the instrumental from Dom Kennedy's Yellow Album ("We Ball" featuring Kendrick Lamar). I loved the beat, wrote some shit, recorded it, and asked Barz if he wanted to get on it. He laid his verse and the rest is history. I don't even like the track like that. (laughs)

LUCIUS: The tracks on the tape strike me an extremely eclectic mix of subjects and production. How did you decide which tracks made it on the tape?
BARZ: We really just chose our favorites. It came down to the wire when I had to decide between two tracks because keeping them both would have lapsed eighty minutes. So I had to choose the one that feels lighter in spirit because I have enough dark tracks on there.
BLAZZOR: Well we added all the Leakz within the year span, and then we chose our individuals personally. My process was to show my versatility. That's what truly drove my decision making process.

LUCIUS: Now, Barz...I want to talk to you about "Perfectly Mistaken". It's, in a word, dope. Same deal as before. Speak on it a bit.
BARZ: The song is touching on how we can be so prideful in ourselves that we do not own up to our mistakes. On the other end of it we get too hard on ourselves for making mistakes, rather than moving forward with a healthy self-worth and pride. That song was the most fun to record out of all the tracks on the tape.

LUCIUS: OK, Blazzor...I am completely blown away by "The Key". It's surprising and really well put together. Speak on it for a second.
BLAZZOR: I wrote it a capella. It was really a diary to self. Nothing more was expected. That was until I found a beat to match. (laughs). But it was basically an attempt to ground myself through my frustration of perceived limitation within myself. And eventually, at the end, I found the key to ease my restlessness. It’s like a literal meditation laid out for you to hear. This is the thought process I tend to have when I try to ease my frustrations in private.

LUCIUS: As always, I have to ask you: favorite track(s)? Least favorite?
BARZ: My favorite tracks are “The Key”, “Scholarship Problems”, “Perfectly Mistaken”, “75”, and “Genius Genes”. I don't have a least favorite.
BLAZZOR: My favorite tracks are “Scholarship Problems”, “Perfectly Mistaken”, “Trippin”, “75”, and “FlyMindReligion”. My least favorite is everyone's favorite, “Dwayne James”. (laughs)

LUCIUS: How does it feel to be being compared to Nas and J. Cole? I saw that today and I wanted to get you guys’ two cents.
BARZ: I can understand that comparison on the level of content. It shows that we are living up to our potential more and more. But I respect the craft so much; I wouldn't dare say that I'm on their level skill wise yet.
BLAZZOR: It's flattering but I don't feel like I'm near their level. But I like that because I know that the people know that we respect the craft and we are serious about it.

LUCIUS: Not to go too deep into it but what’s next for you this year? I remember a mention of solo tapes.
BARZ: This year I will be working on my solo along with some feature projects and a whole lot of visuals. Hopefully, I get the time to start working on my production game. That's what I really yearn to do.
BLAZZOR: Yeah, solos are on the agenda. It’s important to differentiate our individual selves through these solo tapes. Help people see the differences.

LUCIUS: We're doing a lot of talking about you guys and your music. But who are you listening to? Are there writers who inspire you to dig deeper, be deeper?
BARZ: Right now, I'm listening to Starlito, Earl Sweatshirt, Kendrick Lamar, some Kevin Gates, and I'm getting into Tink. The first three artists I mentioned inspire me to be deeper. When I hear deep shit, it's a breath of fresh air to me while for others, it's "depressing."
BLAZZOR: Lately I been on Earl Sweatshirt, Future, Curren$y, Starlito (my favorite), Nipsey, Cole, K. Dot. Lito and K. Dot inspires me to go deeper than any other artist can

LUCIUS: Thoughts on the next move for yourselves and the trajectory of the #NewGA?
BARZ: Our move right now is to keep working and attract the right pieces to get to the next level. We, #NewGA, are looking to add members that are serious about their craft, down for the team and down for the vision.
BLAZZOR: We got a lot of plans laid out and you will witness it in due time.

LUCIUS: Any last shout-outs and/or words of wisdom you want to drop on us?
BARZ: I would like to shout out to Q's family, the Suggs and my homie AJ. As far as wisdom goes, I'm just in soaking game mode so I don't really have much to share with you except that, the only way to open up to wisdom is to accept that ultimately, you know nothing.
BLAZZOR: Shout out to you, #NewGA, St8OutDaDen and all else who support. You know who you are. Thank you.

LUCIUS: Thank you once again for the interview. I’ll be keeping an eye out and an ear out for what comes next, brothers.
BARZ: No problem, man. Any time.
BLAZZOR: Glad to do it.

Something ‘Honest’ - Flashback Fridays

For a while I have been singing the praises of MMG rapper and Massillon, Ohio born Stalley. Every time he puts out a project or he’s featured on a track I find myself hanging on his every word. When Lincoln Way Nights came out I was in love like no other. I couldn’t truthfully tell you how many times I listened to songs like “Pound”, “330”, and “She Hates The Bass”.

Hearing him on “Ten Jesus Pieces”, “MMG The World Is Ours”, and other tracks made me into a fan of epic proportions. If you asked me right now, I could recite a verse from him right now.

This love of both his lyrical content and his style led me to quick get his last mixtape Honest Cowboy.

Honest Cowboy is just as beautifully rhymed as anything I’ve listened to from Stalley. In much the same way of any of my reviews, I fell in love with a few songs above the others. Allow me to share them with you.

“Swangin’” is a favorite. It features Texas rapper (and Southern legend) Scarface and vocalist Joi Tiffany. Much as you’d expect from a Stalley tape this is another ode to riding slow in a beautiful vehicle through his neighborhood. The sights and sounds are laced through and it takes you on a journey that makes everything else melt away.

“Samson” is a bombastic track with heavy bass and a slightly dark feel to it. I would liken it to something Kanye might have produced for one of his last two albums. Within the production you hear Stalley rap with a bit of braggadocio that plays well against everything.

“The Highest” features Crystal Torres and is a smoker’s type of track. Crystal’s vocals trickle through the track and add a certain quality to that makes me think that s this song is being played the backdrop and everything you see should be green.

“NineteenEighty7”, to me, feels like a freestyle battle or just lyrical acrobats. For that sort of thing you’d need an amazing lyricist with an amazing delivery. Enter ScHoolboy Q, playing a strong counterpoint to every one of Stalley’s verses. As I listen to it there is this undeniable feeling that I should be watching these two in a cypher or something.

I would also suggest checking out tracks like “Raise Your Weapons”, “Cup Inside A Cup”, and “A-Wax”.

Per usual, Stalley gives a strong performance with great lyricism and very good features. Honestly, it makes me wish and wonder for a full length studio album.

But honest?

He’s secretly given us his third with this.


Written by Lucius Black

‘The Same’? Doubtful… - Flashback Fridays

Recently I posted something on Facebook. Here’s the post:

Drake - Underground Kings

This was just an innocuous little post about a favorite track from the Canadian rapper that everyone loves to mock. It lead to a rather interesting conversation. Here’s the conversation:

I'm getting back to my ways! *A line from the song, for those who don’t know*
December 2 at 9:02pm via mobile

That track has a decidedly Southern sound for a Canadian guy...
December 2 at 11:24pm via mobile 

That's why he had to pay homage with the title.
December 2 at 11:50pm via mobile 

Yup. That song makes you almost forget about all the soft jokes about him...
December 2 at 11:51pm via mobile 

Do you know what the Knights of the Round Table would say if they heard the "tough guys" of our day were poets that wear jewelry? Rappers like Drake and Cole are refreshing because they express something. That's what artists do. That studio gangster stuff is overrated (sets soap box on fire).
Yesterday at 7:07am via mobile 

This is so true when you really look at it. I appreciate Drake more for his certain skill at expressing something beyond fucking bitches, selling drugs, or making money.

It’s with that mentality I dive into Drake’s latest album Nothing Was The Same. As far as his studio albums go, this has to be my favorite at current. The list of features include artists like 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Jhené Aiko to name a few. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

“Started From The Bottom” is mentioned here simply because the beat is so damn catchy. The track isn’t so much in a rags to riches story in the strictest sense of hip-hop. It lacks a darker, more introspective production. This track relates the experiences of Drake’s early life and his career beginnings in a more lighthearted way that we’ve seen from other rappers. It is a unique thing that I really like.

“Worst Behavior” has become sort of an anthem for a generation, a lot like YOLO did when it was first said. This track has an interesting production. It’s a rather energetic sort of track that reminds me a bit of the film Hustle And Flow for the oddest reason.

My favorite song is “From Time”. Featuring the beautiful and amazingly talented  Jhené Aiko on the hook, this track is deeply introspective and rather understated. As with any song or artistry, it is open for interpretations. My understanding  of it is that the track speaking of Drake looking for love and wondering if he’s already met her before. It’s probably a thought we may have all had from time to time.

“The Motion” has an insanely catchy beat that sound synthesized but dark. Overall this song is about moving on and maybe growing up. Assisted by the vocals of Sampha, the track has a slightly haunting quality that I personal love.

Also give a listen to “Hold On, We’re Coming Home”, “All Me”, and “Come Thru”.

Drake is unique in the fact that his songs are emotionally driven as opposed to usually monetary based hip-hop and rap. Like his album title so perfectly states, nothing was the same. I’m thankful for that.


Written by Lucius Black 2013

More Or Less ‘Me Time’? - Flashback Fridays

I have been a fan of Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz since he was Tity Boi and a part of hip-hop duo Playaz Circle. When he went solo through mixtapes and his debut studio album (still a favorite of mine, by the way), I was right there listening as loudly as anyone.  I’m saying this preface the hard truth I must share right now.

B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time is a pretty lackluster album, in my view. It’s good but nowhere near as good as the first.

The sequel to the popular Based On A T.R.U. Story doesn’t seem to have the same sort of gravitas (probably not the word to use to describe to a 2 Chainz album but I’m using it) or inherent fun that its predecessor boasted. This isn’t to say it doesn’t have it’s moments.

Here are few.

“Feds Watching” is quite catchy when you listen to it. As a movie fanatic the production reminds me of 1980s Miami and Scarface. There’s a almost Latin groove in it that makes me feel as if maybe the word was mine. Plus I thoroughly love the feature of Pharrell and the ending where they speak in Jamaican Patois. All in all, a rather nice track.

“Beautiful Pain” was intriguing because I had never heard 2 Chainz and Ma$e on a track before. Maybe this was what made me even go to this track. It’s a almost cool track with  each rapper discussing things in their lives that could be seen as ‘beautiful pain’. I would also like to note that Ma$e’s flow on this track is damn near identical to the one he gave us on a track from the G.O.O.D. Music album Cruel Summer. The track’s called “Higher”, if you wanted to check it out.

“Black Unicorn” is mostly murdered by the poetic stylings of the gorgeous Chrisette Michelle. To be completely honest, I couldn’t tell you exactly what 2 Chainz was rapping on here. At a quick listen I imagine this is an introspective  track. That’s pretty much all I can tell you here.

“Netflix” is probably my favorite mostly by default. I say this mostly because the lines of this track make me laugh so much that I like it. Here’s one line, the line where the song derives its name from:

I smoked a blunt for dinner, another blunt for breakfast
2 Chainz, got 'em staring at my necklace
Let's make a sex tape and put it on Netflix
Let's make a sex tape and put it on Netflix

Fergie is the featured artist here. Her verse is rather good, despite the fact she’s not strictly a rapper. Take a look:

When I die, bury me inside the liquor store
Cause when I die, Fergie still gon' be gettin' dough
You do what you can, I do what you can't
You smoke that Bobby Brown, we on that Shabba Ranks
I got it, you want it, you want it, I got it
My girls go shopping, that ain't a mall, that's my closet
So copy, copy, all these bitches just copy
Honor student wit' double Ds, that ain't the bra, that's my ta-tas

I won’t really suggest any tracks to you simply because I really didn’t like the rest of the project. It’s hard to type but that’s the feeling right now.

Often they say rappers need to go back to their mixtapes to find what they had before going mainstream. This may be a good idea for 2 Chainz. I don’t hate the album but I certainly don’t love it.

A little less me time, I think.


Written by Lucius Black 2013

Ignorance To ‘Black Radio’ Flashback Fridays

They sometimes say that ignorance is bliss.

Sometimes it is.

In the case of Robert Glasper.

Before I had seen anything about his current album Black Radio 2, I knew nothing about the man. I knew even less about his hit CD that preceded this one, an effort that was called Black Radio. Based on the general reactions I had been reading about the first one I truly missed an amazing thing. Taking that into consideration I vehemently refused to miss out on Black Radio 2.

Black Radio 2 is an amazing jazz album with a cool groove that cannot matched. The featured artists are a cadre of unequaled talents. Let me show what I’m talking about.

“ I Walk Alone” is a motivational anthem of sorts that  can apply to anyone. With the smooth rhymes of Chicago rapper Common and Fall Out Boy front man Patrick Stump giving us a powerful hook, the song speaks of individuality and forging your own path as a person. This idea will often lead you to stand (or walk) alone towards that goal. Hence the title. As if to reinforce that ideal, the amazing Michael Eric Dyson says this:

“The irresistible appeal of Black individuality - where has all of that gone? 

The very people who blazed our path to self-expression and pioneered a resolutely distinct and individual voice have too often succumbed to mind-numbing sameness and been seduced by simply repeating what we hear, what somebody else said or thought and not digging deep to learn what we think or what we feel, or what we believe 

Now it is true that the genius of African culture is surely its repetition, but the key to such repetition was that new elements were added each go-round. Every round goes higher and higher. Something fresh popped off the page or jumped from a rhythm that had been recycled through the imagination of a writer or a musician. Each new installation bore the imprint of our unquenchable thirst to say something of our own, in our own way, in our own voice as best we could. The trends of the times be damned 

Thank God we've still got musicians and thinkers whose obsession with excellence and whose hunger for greatness remind us that we should all be unsatisfied with mimicking the popular, rather than mining the fertile veins of creativity that God placed deep inside each of us.”

“What Are Doing?” is a song that presents a point that many relationships need to address. Here the featured artist, the lovely Brandy, sings that in love speaking from the heart and saying exactly what we need and what we mean are infinitely important to the thriving of a relationship. If not, what exactly are we doing? The point is made over a drum heavy beat and it’s mad well.

The song “Calls” is probably my favorite. It’s a beautiful love song sung by the equally beautiful Jill Scott. This song has Scott extolling the virtues of the man she loves and how he is always there to answer her calls, how he ‘don’t take no for an answer when it come to loving her’.  When you really think about it, that’s a lot of what people want from love-someone who is always there when you call and has no limits within the way they love you.

“Trust” features Marsha Ambrosius and it speaks of trust, oddly enough. The basic theme here is a woman sees a man she involved with retreating from her. In much the same way she would like nothing more than to run away herself because of past hurts but she is willing to try and  trust again. All she wants is for him to do the same. This is yet another personal and highly relatable track.

Other tracks to check out would be “Worries” featuring Dwele, “You Own Me” featuring Faith Evans, and “Let It Ride” featuring Norah Jones.

As I review this amazing album I am reminded that my ignorance made me miss out on the first effort of this kind.

It will never happen again.


Written by Lucius Black 2013