Interview with Will-Lean

Save a Dollar a Day

If you saved one of these a day you would have enough money to get ASCAPed, get your own website, and start a company within a year. Not bad at all, especially once you realize that 80% of being independent is having a handle on your financial situation. If you put away a dollar a day, you'll be up and running with the big boys in no time. For most people, its hard to do so because you want to have the latest gear and splurge once in awhile. But let me ask you this, who's having more fun in the club. The duke outside with the 40 inch rims and the candy paint that can't get in the club, or the guy in a polo and some nice jeans that just has enough money to buy two drinks and some food for later on? You decided!

2009 Top Rapper #1

I'm pretty sure you guys figured it out by now that Drake was going to win number one simply because the guy's mixtape got him nominated for two grammy's. I mean gimme a break this Canuck pretty much stole the show and showed all these bustas that originality is key to being successful. (like that pun) With "Best I Ever Had" he's pretty much solidified himself as rapper of the year. Once was an actor, now's he's the artist that the new blood will look up to when its their turn to start grinding. Drake has showed through hard work, originality, and being humble will get you further than you can imagine. Drake is best to listen to when you are in the mood for some R&B, you want someone to relate to, or you just wanna hear some catchy hooks. Drake, you've earned it homey. I confess, I did think you were being pubbed a bit too much, but look at where it got you. Keep up the good work. Who knows, maybe YOU that's reading this will make the list next year. Till then...KEEP GRINDING!!!

Edumacation?

So late last night I was on a conference call with my manager (@diamondent) and heard a guy say something that kinda got to me. He said that you can't be a college student and a rapper at the same time. That school would take you away from music and that eventually you'll either fail out or just stop rapping completely. Now, I for one don't agree with this. I have two college degrees and I'm still doing this. I still found time to hit the studio, pass out fliers, research marketing techniques, rehearse, and stay on my grind. At the end of the day, if you want something bad enough, you don't have any excuses. Matter of fact, you don't even think that far, you just do. I'm here to tell you guys that I'm a living example that you can get your degree(s) and still rap. Also there are major artists out there that went to college and graduated with degrees such as; Common (Baton Rouge), DJ Premier (Prairie View A&M), Talib Kweli (City University of NY), Paul Wall (University of Houston), Mos Def (City University of NY), and Killer Mike (Southern). There are also artists that attended college but didn't finish, however, they did attend (which may be the reason they even became great artists); Lil Wayne (University of Houston) Kanye West (Chicago State University) Cam'Ron (Navarro) and Chamillionaire (University of Houston). Having an education gives you an edge over the competition anyway especially if you are trying to build your own label or learn how to read jargon (look that one up). So hit the books and know that it'll help you in the long-run

2009 Top Rapper #2

Is this dude really a rapper or just a great artist? Either way, he's earned his spot this year. I have to say, I respect Kid Cudi's morals when it comes to groupies and walking the lone path that a lot of us have to walk from time to time. Cudi is a great producer and visionary that welcomes listeners to his dark world of loneliness and drug use with hits such as "Day-N-Nite" and "Soundtrack 2 My Life." Kid Cudi is best to listen to when you're having a bad day and want something to relate too. His music isn't 808's and Heartbreak material (so don't worry about having thoughts of suicide or going into manic depression). Pop in Cudi's mixtape or album and take a trip.

Don't Call it a Come-Back

2009 Top Rapper #3....

Yes, Shawn Carter came third in something, but its only for the year. Let's be honest, the only thing that's been going on with Jay is BP3 and the whole Beanie thing. But, it was enough to make the list. BP3 is a great body of work, I don't think it was meant to for the listener to just listen just one single, you get more value from it listening to it all the way through. Jay-Z has rhymes that have to be looked at twice simply because of the double metaphors that he uses. Every track he spits on oozes with greatness. (liked that one)Jay is best listen to when you really feeling yourself. Most people that grind and get to a certain point where they feel that they have left so much behind and have accomplished a lot more and like to boast about it from time to time jam his music. Jay invented swag, so this is definitely an artist to listen to when you're in your two-piece suite.

Freestyling Tips

Cause I figured everyone needs some pointers from time to time. He has a whole series on youtube.com and I think everyone needs to check it out.

Enjoy!

All Outlets

I seriously think the best way to reach your fan base is to try to have something on every electronic or web based media out there. Whether its myspace, facebook, twitter, youtube, or whatever, its best to have something for everything. With Ha-Style Music TV I can attract more people to my music through visuals. People like seeing things more than just listening to them. If you can find a way to make some sort of iPhone app to where people can download your music or use it as a ringtone that would be a pretty good outlet to use. I think that's why its so important to have an independent mindset when starting out because when you start developing your own fan base, then you have much to bring to the table because you'll know how to do most of the things they are trying to do for yourself. Plus not only that, people will start to think that you are everywhere. That's how Diddy developed such a large brand. Hmm...sounds like another blog may be needed to explain that one too.

2009's Top Rapper #4 is....

Now wait, you guys should've known that this was coming. Wale pretty much came from the underground and took it. That's it period, mixtape full punchlines, metaphors, and concepts. He's pretty much a rappers rapper and can deliver a flow that's uncanny enough to either put him in the clubs or a movie soundtrack. (no diss by the way) Wale is best listen to when you want to hear something witty and fun. No real swag music, however, the flow is easy and doesn't make you cringe at all. The DC artist is on his Go-Go.

2009 Top Rapper #5

Eminem, M.I.C., and now Slaughterhouse. Doesn't really matter where you put Royce Da 5'9" he's pretty much gonna kill everybody lyrically. Don't forget this guy was the one who originally featured on "Renegade" with Eminem before the beefing started happening. This guy makes all rappers want to step their game up because, like Wayne, he lives in the studio and drops mixtape after mixtape after mixtape. He established himself after dropping his infamous Bar Exam mixtape with DJ Premier. After that he got with the underground's 4 deadliest emcees and formed a group that one really wants to touch. (except wu tang, but that's over now) Royce is best to be heard when you wanna go hard in the studio, you want to hear punchline after punchline and hear something witty. Next time you want to hit the studio up, make sure to listen to about five of his tracks and watch how much the engineer spazzes out.

You Got 10,000 hours to Spare?

When I went to SXSW (South by Soutwest) in March, a life skills teacher stated that after careful studies done on Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and Tiger Woods that they all had something in common that made them excellent at their sport. No it wasn't talent, nor the team, nor luck. They all told the researchers the same thing which was that they all spent a lot of time practicing and playing. When they told the researchers what age they had started playing all the way up to their prime, the researchers discovered that all three of them had played over 10,000 hours of their sport each! How does this apply to you? Well, how much time have you been in the studio, rehearsing, recording, or promoting? I think I'll leave it at that for today, and let you figure out the rest.

2009 Top Rapper #6

This man is responsible for half the earth chanting T. Swift and also responsible for inspiring the cross genre rapper to come out. Mr. West came on the scene strong when he said the most infamous line of his career, "Everybody's self-conscious I'm just the first to admit it." He has influenced people to change their lyrics, fashion, and beats. Ye made the sped up sample popular by producing for artists such as Cam'Ron, Jay-Z, The Game, and even Fallout Boy. Ye's been on the grind and shows us how to be passionate through rhyme and beats. Kanye West is best listened to when you're having a bad day or want some laughs. Doesn't really have club bangers even though "Jesus Walks" was played in the club a couple of times. The Louie Votton Don scores at number six.

2009 Top Rapper #7

Coming in at #7 is the new face of Cali rap, Nipsey Hussle. Duke reminds of Snoop a little bit, but not too much. He's definitely got his own style and looks to be the new fore front for California. Of Course guys like The Game, Planet Asia, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Ras Kass all have legacies there, but its time for some new blood. Best believe I'm coping this guys mixtape as soon as I get off this computer. Man, Nipsey is best to listen to when you just want to chill. I wouldn't recommend trying to bump his music when trying to get the party started, but definitely when you want to turn the tempo down a bit. You wanna chill at the crib or just zone out, this is the guy you need to bump. Duke's flow is nice and smooth. I think personally, his biggest hit is when he comes out with a nice radio single for the ladies. Nispey, keep the Hussle up homey.

Who You Wit?

So, last year when me and my boy B.$imm$ were on our promo run for the Ha-Style VS B.$imm$ mixtape, we ran into a group of guys that stated they would help us. Not going to say their names because it wouldn't make a difference now, plus, I'm not helping to plug them anyway. Last year we did right around 30 shows and collabed on a lot of events. It all came to an end when the promoter of this group cheated me and like 20 other artists out of some money and stage time. Later on, the promoter was thrown in jail for drug possession and was losing friends crazy quick because he was shady. Now a year has passed and he's out now and decides to hit me up asking if I could collab with his artist. Nothing against the artist, I think he's great and very intelligent, but ol boy. Nah, not so much. Now he's hittin me up telling me he's mad cause I won't respond to his comments after his whole escapade. (there's a Kanye line that I'm thinking of that rhymes with loser) The point that I'm trying to make here, is watch the company you keep. If I kept running with this duke then I would probably be in jail because HE got caught up in some mess with the cops because of drug possession. Or better yet, have like 100 enemies cause he's been cheating people out of their stage time lying to people. But watch the company that you keep, because who you hang around with also represents you.

2009 Top Rapper #8

YES! One verse, one verse is all it took. And of course a couple more songs in the long run. Cole came out on the scene on Jay-Z's Blue Print 3 and killed it. Cole isn't a gangsta rapper, he's more focused on his production and the lyrics he produces. Cole is best to listen to when you want to hear some new blood and just having a regular day and feel like just being you.

Is It Worth It?

LOL! I decided to have a little humor today because its needed. Can't be too serious all the time. But what I'm trying to show here is that anything that's easy, isn't really worth it. I put on twitter one time "How successful will you be? How much did you struggle today?" I know it would be fun to have everything easy and to show everybody that its a piece of cake, however, it really wouldn't be. If rap came easy, then everybody would be great at it. If grinding was for the faint of heart, then everyone would be millionaires. I've already stated before that it takes time and patience to make it. But to ease your mind and not to burn out, you have to remember that anything worth having is not going to be easy to obtain. I think a lot of us forget that and want an easy way out at times. Its normal to feel like that, but the best medicine to laziness is a goal. But we'll leave that one for another time...

Consistency is What Counts

I put up 2 C-Notes you couldn't do that. (don't email me if you can) I was visiting Kobe Bryant's website to see what changes he made and I came across an interview one time where the reporter asked about what makes him the best player in the league. All my hoopers know its the training. When I played street ball, what helped me win the Defensive Player of the Year award was the fact that I trained harder than everyone else....everyday. Everyone has those days in the studio where you recorded like 6 songs in one night and others where you recorded like half a verse. Well I'm here to tell you that its time we start taking notes from the greats again. (refer to my blog, Walk Like the Greats) Since this industry is referred to as "The Game" how about we treat it as such. Start making time to practice your rhymes and to record. I heard Kobe gets up crazy early in the morning and trains anywhere from 4 to 6 hours a day. Imagine if we did the same for being in the studio. There would be a lot more good emcees out there. So start scheduling time to upgrade your rhyme scheme, flow, recording knowledge, or whatever your craft is. I know I will.

2009 top Rapper #9

Once again the rapper with the lyrics that actually make you think hits a top spot for 2009. The reason I chose Lupe Fiasco for this spot is because of his consistency in the underground. After the huge commercial success of "The Cool" Lupe did fall out of the scene but did show love to the underground after releasing various singles via the net. Though the title of his upcoming project has changed and he may not be retiring anytime soon anymore, he still has that unqiue flair that you can't miss. He has also stated that he will be making more mixtapes for his hardcore fans. He gets this spot this year because he didn't forget about us. Lupe Fiasco's music is best heard when you have those days you want to be different and really have some sort of self-expression through whatever means that you choose. Cause at the end of the day, we are not losers...WE ARE LASERS.

Its Never That Bad

Remember those times when you would sit in your room and just dwell on past mistakes and the things that are going on in your life. Sometimes you felt so bad you just didn't want to do anything else but mope around and not talk to anyone. Its called depression and there's nothing wrong with feeling that way, especially if you feel that no one really appreciates your art. But I'm here to tell you that no matter how bad things get, its never that bad. Think about it, yeah things may be down financially, but at least you're able to pay rent and put food on the table. Yeah that last gig may have ended bad, but at least you're able to perform. Some people are too scared to get up on a stage, or just can't. So whenever you feel as though things are bad. Just remember that it could be worst, just imagine being in someone else's shoes. I don't think you want someone else's problems because you may not be able to handle them. Things may be bad for a day, hell, they may be bad for a week!! But at least you're still breathing, and at least the music will never stop. And you shouldn't either.

2009 Top Ten Artists

Since the 4th quarter is almost coming to a close I decided to go ahead and post up my Top Ten Rappers for 2009. I'm not MTV or Vibe so I'll post the reasons WHY I've chosen these artists for their respective spots. I will post one up everyday counting down from 10 all the way to one. For the day I post the number 1 spot I'll leak a song that you'll be able to download.

Here we go!!!

At the number 10 spot is BUN B
I've chose Bun B at number ten for 2009 because he has become the new face of Houston rap and he has held his own. He's already proven that he didn't need Pimp C to do it and he's shown that southern emcees are still alive. Bun's music put's him in the top slots for this year because of the content that he's been releasing. Bun's music is best to listen to when you feel like you're being surrounded by drama, feel like you're the only one being real, or just relaxing in the whip and going for a long drive to the next spot. The UnderGround King has certified himself as a legend.

And I'm Waiting For....

I really wouldn't be surprised if you guys don't remember this game. I'm talking mid to late 90's here. So its okay if your first game system was hand held and had color.(awesome) At the opening of this game, the camera goes over a huge mountain covered in snow and you here a lady's voice go "And I'm waiting for..." Now before I sound all philosophical, I just wanted to point out that there are certain things in my life that are given to me as tools to figure what I need to do next. Yeah, let's leave it at that. So the lady says that and then you see a whole bunch of snowboarding highlights. Now here's how that statement applies to you. You want to rap and do big things right? I mean, that's why you're reading this so you can get some info. at least on how to start all that right? Okay, but why do you want to rap and be big? Throughout my career I've proven people wrong and had the luxury of staring my haters in the face and smiling when I won an award, accumulated more money, or was just flat out happy. But one of my mentors asked me "Why do you rap?" Do you know what that one question did to my mind!? I didn't know, I knew that I loved to do it and that I was good at it. Over time I developed my own reasons which can be seen more through my actions then my music, I think. But ask yourself, Why DO you rap? Seriously, it takes hard work, patience, and originality to make it in this game. So what happens if you don't become big. Better yet, what happens if you never got more than 100,000 plays on your Myspace? Would you still love to rap, or would you just put the mic away and move onto something else? Honestly, if you're not trying to make a career (definition: an occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework) out of it then you might as well put it down. Because the super highs and even greater lows aren't worth your time. You have to have a hunger to do this no matter what. If Def Jam never calls, Jay-Z doesn't hit you up for a collab, Ester Baxter never even knows your name, or you never sell 100,000 units...would you still do it? So the question you need to ask yourself while doing all the promotions, recording, and strategizing is "And I'm Waiting For....?"

How to Mix Vocals

Websites-R'-Us

A website is very important to have because its the one thing that your fans will refer to when they mention you. Chamillionaire has Chamillionaire.com, 50 Cent has Thisis50.com, and Russell Simmons has GlobalGrind.com. The reason why owning some web space is important is because its just like owning a house. Music in today's era has officially gone digital so much that even Timbaland has released an album that you can only get by downloading it to your phone. When plugging yourself (promoting yourself, not what you thought) its good to have one site where everyone can find you at. Its a mouthful when you say "catch me at Myspace.com/SuchandSuch213." When its much easier to just say "hit me up at suchandsuch.com" (MAN! That's sounds professional) I am in the process of doing this myself. I'm using a free web service right now http://www.freewebs.com . What that server does is allow you to take a template and design your own site. However, it'll come up as suchandsuch.webs.com. So your next step would be to buy a domain name. This is pretty much buying the title to the house. A domain name is what people actually type into the address bar to get to your site. No matter what web host you use, that will always be yours. You can buy them monthly for like $10, yearly for $35-$45, or for even 10 years for $89.99. Once you've gotten that far, I would recommend learning as much as you can and playing with the site to learn how to add flash, pictures, music, and make it as interactive as possible. You want this site to be fun and for people to really get something out of it, and add value to their experience. I'm still in the learning phase, however, mine is interactive and informative. http://www.hastyle.webs.com Check it out and enjoy.

4 Heads Better Than Yours

Ever feel as though you have to be the promoter, the president, the CFO, the producer, and oh yeah the artist all at the same time? Yeah a lot of us do, that's why its so important to have a team behind you. There's no possible way to get everything done by yourself, its just not going to happen. When Kanye West first started out he had GLC and Consequence to help him along the way. When T.I. was just starting P$C was the name of his team and they helped him get his name out there. You may be the face because you're the artist, but the efforts of your team and the collaborative front is the reason you're going to be a success. That's why people are doing label deals now, big record companies such as Warner Bros. and EPIC records now want people that bring a team with them because now that means less work for them and less money that has to be spent to develop an artist. Now I think you guys are starting to understand why going independent is so important at a time like this. If you can find people that are willing to help you get your name out there and they benefit from it as well, you now have a team. Develop a name and a common goal and you now have your own record label/company. Of course the best thing for you to do is to go outside your box and start incorporating people that bring something different, not everyone can be great at producing, somebody is going to have to promote and design the flyers. Anyways, find out what you need and start developing your team. As far as leadership is concerned...well, you wouldn't be reading this blog if you wasn't one.

Keeping the Pace

One issue that a lot of us Ha-Styliens have is that when we grind we see the end result and become dissatisfied when we don't get there as fast as we want to. We see the end goal and feel as though no matter how fast we run it just isn't fast enough. One thing I've learned from being on the music grind is that its better to go at your pace, in fact, its better to just go at all. Some people don't even put an idea on paper when they talk about how great they're going to be one day. The best thing to do when combating that feeling that you're not moving fast enough is to enjoy the little successes that you have. You produce one song this week, that's great you're one step closer to that hit. You only released one mixtape this week, that's fine, some rappers didn't even leak a track. Its the little things that count and also its your blessings as well. You got your own studio, cool, some people are paying $60 an hour to do that same exact thing you did for 4 hours on your own time. So be thankful and also realize that the pace you're going at is great and to keep it up. You'll be there when you're ready.

Who You With?

Never thought publishing and performer rights organizations would be looked at as a gang. Well not really but you get what I'm saying. The primary organizations are the infamous BMI and ASCAP. There's really no difference between the two, however, ASCAP does cater more to the Hip Hop genre while BMI does the same for Pop and Rock. ASCAP has a Song-Writers Conference in Atlanta which features Lloyd, Jermaine Dupri, Kerri Hilson, Bow Wow, and many more. That's usually where all my hip hop heads need to go. BMI would have a conference in New York featuring Willie Nelson, John Mayer, Brittany Spears, Jimmy Buffett and many more. The purpose of these conferences is for networking and learning. Now what these organizations do is record every time your record is played on the radio or on television. They track it and you get something in the mail called a Royalty Check once every quarter, or 3 months. (how much depends on how many times it gets played or performed at clubs or events) Now this is the FIRST thing you want to do when you are taking music more seriously and want to step into the league of professional musicians. Why? Well what if that track you have sitting on Garageband is the next Thriller? Yeah, its real simple. It usually only cost $35 to sign up, so it shouldn't take you long to sign up for it. Now which one to sign up for is totally up to you, you don't have to sign up for ASCAP if you rap. Just do your research and choose the one that you're most comfortable with. But save those quarters, do your research, and go do this first.

It Ain't Good if it's Easy

What was the infamous line Jay said on Unreasonable Doubt? "At your wake as I peak in, look in your casket feelin sarcastic, "Look at him, still sleepin" One of my favorite Jay lines that can be related to anything. But let's relate it to life cause this blog is about music and life or the music life. (sounds like a subtitle) When it comes to trying to make it in this game, the best thing you can do is go get
it yourself, however, what if you are presented an easy way out that almost sounds to good to be true? What do you do? Well, some say go ahead and take it, but what if you take it and its not what you thought it was. This is what separates the hustlers/grinders from the bums. Its not about pride here either, but if there is an easy way out, more than likely its not meant for you. For example, you are almost dead desperate to get this mixtape out and generate a strong buzz for it. Now some guys that have been making a little bit of noise in your local rap community hits you and says that you can use their studio. Now of course, this would sound awesome when you're boys because studio equipment isn't cheap, however, these are guys you barely know. Now you in there doing ya thing and the next thing you know they talking about you gotta pay money before you leave and sign a contract. What kinda stuff is that right? Well it happens, how do you think these great artists get on these wack labels? What I suggest as most hustlers do, is try to get it on your own. I know it would be real cool if Joe Budden came up to you asking you to join Slaughter House, but come on man, why not do your own thing. Or Better yet, the Kings of Leon need some additional vocals from you. That's what separates the boys from the MEN!!! If it sounds to good, it probably is. No one in this world got anything great off a hand out. Not even Memphis Bleek cause he had to impress Jay first before he started writing for him. (C'mon man he impressed Jay, that has to count for something right?) Anyway, the point of this post is to tell all you suckas out there to go and get it in. Matter of fact, stop saying that, leave that to the Enforcer DJ's and just go. Quit talking. GET OFF MY SITE BOY AND GO WORK!!!

EGO? For what?

Now look, I'm not knocking anybody walking around confident or anything, I'm really not. But when is having confidence start to become arrogant. For instance, if you are still in your up-and-coming years why are you charging people for them to get on their track. Unless you produced the track, wrote the track, and the chorus, keep your mouth shut. We're tired of running into artists/bands that feel all because they have 10,000 hits on myspace that we should bow down to them. It don't work like that. In this life you gotta earn respect through work, otherwise, you're just another person acting out. You want people to pay for your studio time and to record a verse or two, how about doing something for them. Better yet create such a strong buzz, that their record won't get off the ground unless you're on it, even then at least be humble about it. Until then, leave the ego stuff to the pros. Even then, they have a REASON as to why they're acting like that. (Its called promo by the way) You on the other hand with no Grammys should just chill. How are you going to be arrogant with a part-time gig, still living at your parents place, and no car to call your own? Hit the ground and start running, cause the guys who are hungry for it are going to pass you right on by. Don't believe me? Who won, the Turtle or the Hare? (or rabbit, whatever its name is)

Bottom of the Map

Alright, how many of us would rather have 1000 mixtapes/albums pressed up with full uv colored booklets in jewel cases. Now how many of you reading this can actually afford it. Yeah thought so. I spoke with my partner (twitter.com/snap_jr) and he made me realize that I don't need anything fancy when trying to distribute music, especially if its free. So why not take all those blank cds you have and start handing them out. Of course, my recommendation would be to put your info on there. Your name, website, and email is good. If you want to put your number that's fine. Now if you decide to pass them out to A&R's you're just asking for trouble, because they are going to want something that is pressed up. But what I'm talking about is your friends/family/coworkers and whoever you may run into. Start focusing on generating a buzz and getting your name out there. Its only smart to do so. If you do have the money, here's how you do it. First, if you can, get the printer sheets that allow you to print cd covers. Produce a design, then label your cds with the design. Next, you can (A) contact a print shop and have them make the cd inserts or (B) you can print them yourself. Either or is fine, just make sure the design is eye catching. Also, make sure the back has the information of the label, artist, track listing, sponsors and how to get in contact with you. After that, purchase some jewel cases and pass them out. On average, it shouldn't cost you any more than $150 bucks to press up 200 cds, if it does, keep looking for ways to cut cost. Well that's it for production of your mixtape/album. Just make sure to stick with it, and keep grinding.

All-Together-Now

Now this has GOT to be one of the illest collabs of the year, if not the decade. I posted a question to DJ Willtothe (@willtothe) and asked him what would happen if everybody pushed they're egos to the side and came together on tracks. Do you know how much money you could make if you and another artist got together and joined forces and fans. If he has 100 fans willing to buy and you have 100 people willing to buy, that's 200 cds you guys can sell together. (by the way, if you sold each cd at $5 a pop that's $1000 you guys made. wow) Now Wayne has showed that he broke into everybody's iPod just by collabing with every artists on the planet. Now what if YOU did the same thing. Instead of charging everybody, how about you do it for free and start attracting listeners from other states. Now you got fans all over the country, and if you play it right, you'll have fans all over the world. (i.e. my first mixtape INFLUENCE: The Mixtape got me fans from Budapest and Australia, mate!) You want to do a show in Seattle, find a local artists and collab with him. Set it up to so when he comes to your town, he can perform with you, and when you go to his, you can perform with him. The possibilities are endless. You said we all can't get along!

Lil Wayne-No Ceilings Review

ILL WHO!?

Yeah, that's a real possible album cover. Looks like Bill Cosby is going to put his money where his mouth is. The former television father that everyone fell in love with feels as though this generation is so far gone (lol) that he has to put out a rap album just to get our attention. He has made comments to the parents of today stating that they are lazy and that they allow their children to do anything that they choose too. Of course he made a lot of people mad but to be honest...SO WHAT!? He's right, let's be honest. We don't need parents to be super strict but it would be nice if parents actually asked what some of our lingo meant, why do we dress the way we dress, listen to several different types of music and blahzay and blahzay. Seriously, Generation X got away with being misunderstood and i guess the Baby Boomers assumed we would be the same way. We're no different from them, we went through things that are sort of similar historically. Besides the rampant racism, we have a strong blacker leader that we revere, they had two. We are hungry for knowledge and want to define ourselves, they did the same. So how come these parents just don't ask the questions that they keep asking themselves and get to know us better? We are a generation of people that are very ambitious and keep striving for more. We're up next to run the world and we know what we want. The problem seems to be lying within the parents according to Cosby, saying the they just gave up and allowed us to do whatever. So if this man has said this, along with a lot of our grandparents then maybe he has a point releasing this album. I don't know, what yall think?

Free Promo

"ITS A RECESSION, ERRBODY BROKE!" Yes indeed, so how can you break into a market where the power of the dollar is weakening. Well, you turn and use the resources that are available to you. I know I know, that guy around the corner is printing up shirts, mixtapes, and fliers like crazy. And, you should take this time to utilize your best weapon, your brain. Ask yourself, what can I do that is going to be so different from what everyone else is doing that'll put me out there and I won't have to spend all my money to do it. So that guy is passing out fliers right? How about you take advantage of the cold season and pass out hot cocoa packets with your website written on it so people can relax next to something warm and check out your music. That duke has like six mixtapes every quarter huh? Pull a Lil Wayne, get on other people's mixtapes for free. Use that myspace page and ask other artists if you can jump on their mixtape for free and do a couple tracks. Yeah yeah he got shirts, so what!? You know how to talk to people, you don't need materials to promote all the time. Trust me. But, once you do get your money up, go ahead and invest in them with your new skills. Diddy is one of the best promoters on the planet cause he's always thinking ahead.

Time for you to do the same.

Winner featuring 50 Cent

Click to Download

http://www.mediafire.com/?gdmmzonjznz

I Think It, It'll Come...Right?

Okay, so for the past two weeks I have been writing songs from my head allowing me to vent and be creative at the same time. (Note: While writing my lyrics on paper, I would filter my words because I was scared of what people would think of what I was saying.) Now whenever I'm trying to think of the bars in my head now, I can't help but say what's really on my mind. The benefits of writing with my head is that its coming from the heart and you can almost see my facial expressions and you can feel what I'm saying a lot more. I have always written from my heart but when I visually see what I'm saying I use to erase a lot and start over because I was scared of what people would think was going on in my head. Only I've really been in there, you guys haven't. Not gonna lie, it freaks me out sometimes. But now that I'm writing from my head I can't filter anything because that's exactly what I want to say. For instance, if somebody pisses you off you aren't thinking. "Okay sir, I understand you're upset, I am going to walk the other way and leave you alone." NAH! You're thinking "Mutha F&cka I wish you woooooould say somethin else I'll whoop yo weak A$$!!!" So, now everything that's coming out is really really authentic.

Here's a link to a sample of how much my flow has changed

Let me know what you think.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/6645598377c15377/

Q&A with Nov.27th

HS: Aight man, first things first, eveyone wants to know how you came up with the name Nov. 27th.

N27: I was sitting on the steps of my home in Little Rock 2002 one evening and my birthday poped up in my head like "Nov 27"! I was like that's catchy and original. It stuck with me. When Interviewed by Jeff Chang in Las Vegas Aug 2008 and he told me that I share the same birthday as Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee, Twista, Jaleel White (urkel), Raz-B (B2k). From that point I knew that Nov 27 was not just my name but my repitoir on life.

HS: Okay cool, now describe your music to us in three words.

N27:Elevative, Amplifying, informative

HS: Why those three?

N27: Elevative because I aim to open the mind frame of listeners to a higher state of thinking with lyrical connotations on life. Amplifying because when the listerners hear the hooks, it sends a rush of euphoria through the soul. Informative because I want the music I put to be played decades from the time released. With that in key I strive to make music that informs the people of the struggles and the solutions.

HS: How would you describe the music scene, in general, in Austin,TX?

N27: The music scene is becoming scrambled with music of all types. To decipher the message you want to hear is the real challenge. For every ear, there is a variety. The Music scene in Austin is wide open and can only be recognized if artists, fans, sponsors, all aim for sucess for all genres of music in the ATX. Music should start from the soul, filtered by the heart, and edited by the brain.

HS: Do you think Hip Hop artists in Texas almost have a weight on their shoulders, like we have to prove ourselves everytime?

N27:No, Originiality is self proven. Walking into the industry with a chip on your shoulders does not get you far. Remaining humble and making good music will gain you mass respect throughout the industry.

HS: Alright, last question. Where do you see yourself in ten years, and why should we pay attention?

N27: I see my self CEO of my own Dist. Comp, On a Boards & Commission Panel for music. On Tour, In the Hip-Hop international Hall of Rhyme.

That's whats up. Aight Ha-Styliens amke sure to check out my man's myspace at http://www.myspace.com/nove27

Better than Me?

I was watching the movie "Notorious" the day it came out and I remembered a scene where Pac and Big were talking at a pool hall about some kid that Pac met. Pac (the character) stated that the kid came up to him and said that he wanted to grow up to be just like him. Pac then turned around and told Big that he told the kid that he shouldn't grow up to me like him but better than him. Okay pause that scene, let's talk about that for a moment. Granted, Pac was an enigma simply because he was a living contradiction. One moment he's talking about Brenda's Gotta Baby then the next song is I Get Around. However, this is not the first time we've all heard one of our heros in the hip hop game tell us to grow up and be better than them. Now I KNOW he didn't mean lyrically, but meant to become a better person. Here's my thing, if a kid came up to Jim Jones at one of his community service events in Harlem and told Jones that he wanted to grow up to be just like him, I'm pretty sure Jones would say the exact same thing. If they feel as though that the people that they influence the most shouldn't be like them and that they shouldn't act like them or have their tendencies, then why do they continue to act the same. If I felt that I had to tell a kid to not grow up to be like me, to be better themselves, in a sense, then how do I view myself? And that's one thing I think no one is every asking them after the fact. I'm not here to preach because I would tell a kid the same thing in the aspect of lyrically, but I have two degrees, a job, and I grind, so I pretty much would want them to follow the same path. It just always bothered me that artists would tell their young fans this but not with an explanation. So pretty much my Ha-Stylien Emcees, tell ya fans what's really good. If you do tell them to become better than you, atleast give an explanation as to why so they won't feel awkward about it. Also, if you FEEL as though you have to say that, then maybe you need to look yourself in the mirror.

As always

One Luv
&
DEUCE

Sir-Mix-A-Lot

I just thought I would share my 2 cents on mixing tracks, since for the majority of the time, the real work comes from the engineer. Let's be serious, for someone to sit there and get the sound just right and satisfy the artist, the producer, and the a&r's is just down right skillful. So as I sit in my personal studio mixing tracks for my upcoming mixtape entitled, "City Lights" which will feature Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Drake, and 50 Cent, I start to realize that no matter how great your equipment is, mixing takes time. For instance, let's say you have a condenser mic and don't have a pre-amp and you're using sonar. No matter how great your mic is or what plug-ins you have, it means nothing without actually getting in there and listening to every bit of the track. That's right Ha-Styliens, that means listening to every dub, adlib, and effect by itself and mixing it. Now of course, I know you know people that just don't mix and just pretty much press their material up and distribute the material as is. But just imagine how much greater their sound would be if they took the time to mix the track. Its a good idea for when trying to mix a hip hop track to make sure that the 808's (bass kick) and the bass line (bass melody) is hitting, and I mean hard. If the track doesn't have any bounce to it, you just pretty much ruined your first impression. I don't care how pop the song is, if your name starts with Lil' or Young you need to make sure you have a track that will have they heads ringin (Dr. Dre). When I recorded the demo for "1899", the song was lacking as far as a full sound. However, the DJ I was working with knew that it needed that 'hit' and when we got to a professional studio it sounded great before we even got it mixed by a trained engineer. Also, a tip I learned from an old roommate of mine, try to dub your vocals and pan one track to the left and the other to the right for a fuller more surround sound feel. That's all the tips that I'm giving out tonight.

Mixing is a key to a great track. Go experiment and most importantly

HAVE FUN!

Marc Ecko a Fraud!

What up Ha-Style supporters? Its ya boy Tony Touch here to bring you an earth shattering exclusive story. A story that will, no lie, shake both the world of music and fashion to its knees! Interest peaked? READ ON!!


Marc Ecko: New Jersey born fashion designer and entrepreneur known for the highly successful Marc Ecko urban clothing line. His Brand has 12 sub clothing labels including Marc Ecko: Cut & Sew and Zoo York which play not only to the tastes of the urban and hip hop community to those of the skateboarding community as well. Ecko also sponsors fashion endeavors by many different celebrities and recording artists like Jessica Simpson and 50 Cent. If that wasn't enough, Ecko also has his own Magazine and just recently had a successful foray into the world of video games with title Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. The world famous designer has become a noted name in not only the world of fashion and urban culture but also in the world of sports with his noted purchase of Barry Bond's 756th home run ball which he had branded with an asterisk after a highly publicized Internet poll in which he asked the world what to do with the highly controversial piece of sports history.


Motorhead: An English hard rock band established in the late 70s by rock legend Lemmy Kilmister. As one of the cornerstones of hard rock and heavy metal in the 1980s, Motorhead was one of the foundational influences to genres of both speed metal and punk rock music. Motorhead has a number of grammys to their name and has such hits as Ace of Spades, Overkill and noted WWE wrestler Triple H's entrance them The Game to its credit. To date, the band has released 19 albums consistently since 1977 and their music has appeared in countless films and even the popular Guitar Hero franchise.

What do these men have to do with each other? Up until a few months ago, almost nothing. But recently the two have something very much in common. While shopping yesterday in the local Ecko Unltd store here in fabulous San Marcos, I came across a t-shirt that appealed to me on some strange level. Something about said in big bold letters "I ROCK!" I wasn't able to pinpoint exactly why I liked the shirt so much but just the same, I plunked down $19.99 for it. I walked out of the Ecko store with a big red bag and a smile on my face a smile that faded the moment I got to my car. Upon reaching my car I saw the cover of my favorite Motorhead CD March or Die through my driver's side window and I was shocked to my core. The artwork on the CD cover and on my shirt were fundamentally IDENTICAL!!!

Now one might say that this is just a minor coincidence however if you were to note certain things about the two designs it is quite obvious that this is not the case. Looking at the images one can note some very striking similarities such as the skull with tusks coming from the mouth and the chain that hangs between them. While these things could be considered a wild coincidence, after inspecting the detail work on the tusks and the very specific way in which the chains connect to the tusks it becomes apparent that this is no mistake!

Ladies and gentlemen these are the facts, and they are indisputable. I never thought that I would ever be writing an exposé on my favorite clothing brand but that is how we do things in the Ha-Stylien Society. I would have loved to let this go, sweep it under the rug, and pretend that this whole thing never happened but its the duty of the press to inform the people. Somebody has to keep it real around here and for the first time I'm sad to say that somebody is me. What will this do to Marc Ecko's reputation? Is this just an isolated incident, or is this just the beginning? Perhaps Marc Ecko himself is right now sitting in a room full of obscure album covers with a big box of tracing paper. Who is to say? I can tell you all this though, I will be staying on top of this story and giving you more of the facts as it develops.

Aug. 23rd Winner is...

Looks like this week's poll was good because there are three winners for "Best Mixtape Ever."

Heartless ft. Tupac

Video Provided by DatPiff.com

Cheap Scape!

Every band and solo artist pretty much starts out from the bottom and works their way up. Whether its the charts or album sales, anyone just breaking into this game is at the bottom of the map. (Young Jeezy) But what if the novice artist has enough money to buy the phantom powered mic, the triton, a serato mixer, and a mac book pro all in the same breath? (by the way, check out http://www.sweetwater.com for affordable studio equipment) Would that make that particular artist the best, or just someone starting out on the right foot? Take Drake for instance. He already had money pouring in from Degrassi and been around the world and had friends that were "experts" with Pro Tools 7. That would pretty much make Drake the best in T Dot right? WRONG! Ladies and Gentleman, you need more than just equipment to be the best. For all my producers out there, don't walk into Guitar Center and ask for the Pro Tools Mercury Plug-ins (which only cost $2459) and you can't even mix on Acid. Take it easy my padawans, you wanna really make some noise? Master the equipment that you've got. That $30 mic, your sister's key board and your Toshiba laptop is all you need right now if you don't know how to work it. Work your way up. If you are trying to mix/produce a song and the equipment isn't giving you a "certain" affect you're looking for, then you've probably mastered that piece and need an upgrade. Take your time and learn the ends out, cause in this game knowledge is key. As for Drizzy, well, its always good to have a good team around you to show you, and with money.

HMTV

KEEP IT LOCKED

The Ballad of GI Joe Julie & Julia

What up Ha-Styliens its ya boi Touch here with the very first of many(cross your fingers) movie reviews!! That's right! In this economy you can't afford to waste 10 bucks on a movie ticket just to find out it sucks. So, I plan on being the one to take it on the jaw for all of you guys and let you know whats hot and whats not. Being that this is my first post I will start it with a bang and hit you with TWO reviews at one time! For the ladies in internetland I'll give you my take on the Meryl Streep/Amy Adams comedy Julie & Julia and for the fellas I'll be giving you intel on the action packed GI Joe. So without further ado, lets rock this mother!

Julie & Julia
This movie, written and directed by Nora Ephron, tells both the story of the rise of cooking legend Julia Child(Meryl Streep) and a young woman named Julie Powell(Amy Adams) who seeks to add a little spice to her depressing life by attempting to cook every dish in her hero Julia Child's famous french cookbook in a year. As the movie plays out we discover all the fun similarities that both Julie and Julia share despite them living both in different times and in different corners of the world, as well as the healing power of a good meal.

The acting in this movie is pretty good overall and Meryl Streep is absolutely lovely as Julia Child and embodies the spirit of the larger than life cooking sensation. The story is very sweet, wholesome and largely lacking on conflict which while great for food doesn't translate too well for film. True it was very touching and warm hearted but in general nothing was really happening. I even found myself wanting to yell at the screen "DO SOMETHING!!!" a time or two. Also, this movie does run a bit long. It should have taken more cues from Emily Post than Julia Child and not overstayed it's welcome. At just over two hours this film could have definitely done with tighter editing; a fact that becomes especially apparent when the movie seems to lap itself to tell some of the same stories that it had already told.

All in all Julie & Julia is very light happy and conflict-less with plenty leftover for seconds which while good for food left a bad taste in my mouth as far as movies go. Wait for the DVD rental on this one ladies. Julie & Julia gets a 2...out of 5.


GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
The Real American Hero returns in this Stephen Sommers directed summer blockbuster. Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans star as Duke and Ripcord, two soldiers who get ambushed by a mysterious force of super soldiers while trying to deliver a top secret super-WMD for the government. After surviving the attack the pair are recruited by GI Joe, an international fraternity of soldiers trained to deal with the most unique and impossible situations, to help fight against the forces of the evil terrorist group COBRA and discover the secrets of the super-WMDs that COBRA has set its sights on stealing.

For all of you who grew up watching the 80's cartoon show, just know that this movie takes more of its visual cues from the current Sigma 6 restyling of the toys rather than what you're used to but it still hits all the high points of the Saturday morning classic. All your favorite Joes are there including Duke(Tatum), Ripcord(Wayans... yes I know he's black. You got a problem with that?), Heavy Duty(Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), General Hawk(Dennis Quiad), Baroness(Sienna Miller), Destro(Christopher Echolston), and even Cobra Commander. Everyone here does a good job of acting and keeping with the fun mood of the film and while the plot of this film is very much over the top it makes sense for the fantastic world in which it is set and is very fun. Lets not forget about the action! It is wall to wall explosions, car chases, sword fights and shoot outs just like a Joe film should be. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing. Also, oddly enough, it is SURPRISINGLY violent! In fact I was surprised that this movie got a PG-13 rating for all the violence in it. Now for those of you who are going "IT'S GI JOE WHAT DO YOU EXPECT!!!" and "In the cartoon they never hit anything!!!" well in this movie they make up for all that by shooting and blowing up damn near everything and everybody!

Despite all this good stuff, the movie stumbles in its presentation breaking longstanding rules of film making with its excessive use of flashbacks and less than polished special effects which took me out of the flow and at points becomes slightly annoying. But, that being said, I was never not entertained or bored throughout the flick.

All in all GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra is great box office fun but excessive flashbacks and less than stellar special effects drag it down a notch. My best recommendation is to go grab your some of your old friends that used to watch the show, have a drink or two and show up to the theater ready for a party because thats what you're in for. GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra gets a 3.5 out of 5


So for all of you who were wondering how the top two flicks of this weekend are now you know, and knowing is half the battle! Bon apétit!

This Week's Winner...

This week's winner is Vanessa Simmons as your favorite Rev. Run Daughter. Thank you for voting and be on the lookout for the next poll.

A Zoo Out Here

Its crazy that in less than three weeks the fall will begin. And of course, all of the innovators of style have their clothes picked out. Check out this piece by Zoo York. I'm currently looking to bring the track jackets back. Alive and well in the NYC. This jacket can roll wherever you do. Awesome water-based city scene print on front and sleeves. Zip-front with two welt pockets, rib knit baseball collar, sleeve cuffs and hem. 55% cotton / 45% polyester; 100% polyester mesh lining. Machine wash. Imported.

via Zoo York

With its long bonnet and wheelbase and low, flowing roofline, the BMW 6 Series Coupé has the proportions of a classic Gran Turismo Coupé. The dynamic front end angles down purposefully at the road, and the rest of the car follows suit. The side panel fold creates highlights that run parallel to the tarmac, while the muscular rear end underlines the close connection between the car and the road.

First Freestyle

Thanks for the support and making this the #1 track this week.

We Need Help!

Use Your Japanimation

UAGH! Tokyo, Japan is sick with the city lights. The city itself holds over 35 million people and makes about 1.91 trillion dollars, talk about being productive. Tokyo has many museums. In Ueno Park there are four national museums that every tourist has to check out. Of course, this is the town for every hip hop head, fashionista, and tech guru to check out. Japan has embraced hip hop hard for the past 15 years and you can see a Yankee fitted on the regular along with an iPod full of Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Ice Cube. DMX was surprised when he found out that a packed house of 5000 fans knew all the words to "Ruff Ryders Anthem." Yeah, Paris and New York may be the fashion capitals of the world, but if you're looking for something a bit unique this is the place to be. Fashion has become a staple in this town, and the fashion icons can strutt their stuff during Tokyo's own fashion week. Evisu Jeans, Bapes, and Limi Feu have all seen the shores of America because of their strong fan base here in Japan. And of course the gadgets.......do I really need to speak on that?

Artist Review: J Lyrik

Now, when I come across most female artists, I'm automatically turned off by them trying to rap aggressively. (Key note: Men like sexy, not deadly) Anyway, when I first arrived to Texas State I was a big fan of the independent hip hop scene here and instantly fell in love with the only female emcee I've liked since MC Lyte. Meet J Lyrik, the spunky carefree yet realist woman you'll meet. At first glance, she may come off as your average man-eating emcee that refuses to conform to the rules of POP America. However, when actually listening to her work, you start to see a bit more than what you're use too. J's most infamous song, "Inform You (Protege)" which features a soulful songstress is the track that defines her and pretty much put her on the map. A song about young women watching their backs and their hearts when getting involved with men that may have questionable motives. J's other tracks such as "Rag Doll" and "Superman" are the reason your little sister should buy her album. The Underground scene has fell in love with her rants on not acting like a video vixen and taking charge of her art. No word yet as to when her next project is due to release, but her eager fans are ready for another dose of those "Grey Eyes."

Check her Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/jlyrikmusic