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Oct
15
Here’s part two to the CDR interview with Pacific Division where they discuss what each person brings to the group to make it one force. And if you missed Part 1..CLICK HERE.
Exactly
Oct
15
Ever since we featured Jessica Tonder’s The Bee featuring Proton on Your New Favorite Mixtape we have been receiving a lot of emails asking for us to feature more of her. Well, I finally got a chance to catch up with the 22 year old vocalist to ask her a few questions about her influences and her new up and coming project The Robot & The Little Girl with producer Derrick Drop Braxton.
Zack Lee: What inspired you to sing growing up?
Jessica Tonder: I started singing when I was conceived basically. My mom would always sing around the house….and my dad would play Coltrane and Ella records. So I just knew that’s what I was supposed to do for the rest of my life. You know, as an artist you experiment with different things and grow into what you do. It’s definitely a process.
ZL: What albums are you currently listening to right now?
JT: The Beatles - Revolver, Sigur Ros - Takk, Outkast - The Love Below, Lewis Taylor - Lewis II and Portishead - Third. I definitely have been listening to what I always have been listening to like Coltrane and Ella though.
ZL: What is your writing style? Do you write from life experiences?
JT: A lot of the time I do, sometimes I try writing outside myself. Just picking up things and experiences from people I know or people I meet coincidentally.
ZL: Like, The Bee. What inspired that?
JT: The Bee was written with my producer Drop. It’s the whole concept of “don’t put me in a box”. Basically, people allow themselves to compromise in situations because they are afraid of setting themselves apart from the norm. That’s the whole point with the EP we are putting out. The Robot & The Little Girl is a concept EP. It’s basically my producer and I wanting to free the world from it’s bubble and showing them that we are doing it, hoping they’ll use us as a portal to do the same.
ZL: Speaking of The Robot & The Little Girl, can you explain a little about the concept or is it top secret? Because the artwork is really intriguing.
JT: We’ll, that’s all I can really say about it as of right now. But the story will be released!
ZL: How many songs deep are you guys for the project?
JT: Well, we wanna record 40 before we choose. We’ve recorded 20 so far. We want them to be the right ones and have them be cohesive and make sense together like a story line.
ZL: How did you meet Drop?
JT: I met him through an engineer I was working with in New Jersey before I graduated from Berklee School Of Music in Boston.
ZL: Nice, how was the Berklee experience?
JT: It’s a great school! I learned a lot from just being in that environment. You meet a lot of people in your classes and just around school that end up being an inspiration. There was so much talent, it was really motivating but at the same time you really had to have a strong sense of confidence and make sure you weren’t swayed into doing things so technically all the time. Because in your classes you are taught guidelines but you are only supposed to use them as tools and make sure you only use them when you need them. Not to run your life or your music, and that was the hard part.
ZL: Well, it definitely sounds like you know how to use the tools. When are you guys trying to put out The Robot & The Little Girl?
JT: In the next couple of months. Just digitally…ITunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, strictly indie for this one. We’re not really thinking about a major as of yet. We’re just trying to make the album as great as it can be. We just want to have something circulating and put out this concept EP that we’ve been working on since we basically met.
ZL: Can we expect to see a video for The Robot & The Little Girl project? Possibly an animated cartoon??
JT: Ahhhhh! You’ll find out soon! 
AUDIO
Jessica Tonder - Soldier (CLICK TO LISTEN)
Jessica Tonder - Art Of War (CLICK TO LISTEN)
To hear more from Jessica Tonder check out her MySpace Page!
Exactly.
Oct
9
20/20: DJ Quik Talks Detox
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Ok, I’m starting to get a little scared about this whole Detox project. It seems my hopes get lifted then I get let down…but I’ve been hearing way too many people talk about this Dr. Dre Detox project and I’m starting to get my hopes up once again. Here’s a video that the good folks over at Loud.com just dropped with the man DJ Quik himself talking about what the doc has been up to.
Exactly.
Oct
8
CDR linked up with Pacific Division recently to learn a bit more about the heavy hitting Palmdale natives. In this brief interview they discuss things from the steps they took to get where they are, the origin of their name and a couple other things. Be sure to check for that new Church League Champions blend tape coming soon.
Exactly.
Oct
8
20/20: Kanye West on Ellen
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Kanye is making his rounds as we approach the release of his next album 808’s & Heartbreak. For those that don’t, Kanye premiered his video for Love Lockdown on Ellen, so now we get to see the interview portion. He touches on his upcoming album, performing @ the MTV VMA’s and a few other things. I guess cream is the new shit huh? Ya’ll check it out.
Zack
Oct
6
20/20: Billboard does Q&A w/ Raphael Saadiq
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I admit I wasn’t sold on this project when I first heard his single because I had been sorta apprehensive towards redo’ing what’s already been done. But recently I’ve had a change of heart and basically feel what Raphael Saadiq touches on in this video. He says something along the lines of as a musician, the joy of creating is creating for yourself, locking yourself in the room making music that pleases you and having someone walk in and tell you they like it. So, with that said, I know I’m LATE Heather, but I’m jumping on the bandwagon and picking up a copy for myself *wink*. Give it a looksee.
Exactly: Billboard.com
Sep
4
20/20: DJ Enuff Interviews Asher Roth
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One of the next up and comers who most seem to either love or hate, is Asher Roth. The good man DJ Enuff got to sit down with Asher and discuss what he’s been up to and has in store for us avid watchers of Hip Hop. Asher talks about how he’s working with Sean C & LV, and also Nottz. Those collaborations are definitely worth checking for whenever they leak. As for myself, I’m not completely sold on Asher yet. I mean, yea, he’s dope, but so is everyone nowadays….. That one standout quality hasn’t “stood” out to me yet. But be rest assured, I’m still looking for it. Anyway, ya’ll enjoy this..
Exactly
Aug
19
I had been waiting on this issue to drop but I admit that it was more for the novelty value than the actual interviews inside. As a blogger I follow these rappers so closely that interviews tend to become a tad bit monotonous. Nevertheless, any news regarding new clothes and “CRS!”, I’m definitely down to spread. As many of you know and some of you may not, the latest issue of Complex magazine features covers designed by Todd “REAS” James along with N.E.R.D & Lupe Fiasco. Its safe to say that the ‘GNTD’ crew is leading Hip Hop in style, progression & music. People may not realize it, but we’re still in the beginning stages of a major shift in Hip Hop…….and these cats are leading it. Here’s an excerpt:
Let’s talk about Fall of Rome—to come out with a clothing line yourself, it just has to be flawless.
Lupe Fiasco: Ask my friend, Virgil. We was talking one day and he was like, “Yo, what’s your trunk?” Before the clothes, Louis Vuitton’s claim to fame was the trunk. So it was like, “What’s the thing that you do naturally outside of every other thing that you do?” And I tell stories.How does that translate into clothing?
Lupe Fiasco: I give my clothing a story. I create a purpose for it, you know? The theme for the season coming in October is the Fall of Rome, it’s the fall of decadence. It’s the absence of gluttony, just simple. So it’s black.Everything’s black?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, everything’s black. And the logo for it is this broken statue that was pushed down when Rome was invaded; it represents the decay of beauty. And that nothing lasts forever. So it starts to get like my raps where everything becomes a metaphor for something else.Are you going to wear Fall of Rome exclusively once it comes out?
Lupe Fiasco: Yes! [Laughs.] That’s how it’s supposed to be. You don’t see niggas on the Bulls rockin’ a Celtics jersey because the shit matches their shoes. When your game is to sell clothes and for people to believe in your brand and to push your brand, you keep your game face on. And if your game face is Billionaire Boys Club, it’s Billionaire Boys Club. If it’s Bape, it’s Bape. That’s one of the things I love about Nigo. It’s like, “This is me. I’m engulfed in it. I’m every part of it. I am it.”
Head over to Complex.com to read the rest & see more pics..
Exactly
Aug
18
20/20: Tavis Smiley Interviews Nas
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I’m a strong supporter of just about anything Tavis Smiley does because I genuinely respect him. So when he sits down with God’s Son, I’m all for it. Now Nas isn’t known for giving THE BEST interviews, and this isn’t the most revealing interview, but nevertheless it IS entertaining. They discuss the controversy behind Nas’ new album “Untitled”, his participation in the protest against Fox, and a few other topics. Hope you digg it!
Le Zack
Aug
15
20/20: Hip Hop Official Recaps Rock The Bells San Bernardino, CA
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Hip Hop Official’s Terrell headed out to San Bernardino with a microphone and camera to do a cover on Rock The Bells last weekend. Aside from capturing the overall vibe of the classic hip hop event he decided to get a few of the performers take on the whole show. With features from Method Man, Ghostface, The Pharcyde, Mibbs of Pac Div and Phife from A Tribe Called Quest.
*I’m only putting a link to Pac Div because the rest of the artists you should definitely know. If you don’t then I feel sorry for you as a human being.
Exactly.
