Fool me once, shame on you: fool me twice shame on me.
That's got to be what producer Bangladesh is thinking today, after admitting that he hasn't been compensated for constructing the "6'7" track for Lil Wayne's upcoming 'Tha Carter IV' album.
Mind you, this is the same producer who has complained in the past that he was never paid for the "A Milli" beat either.
"I f*ck with Wayne man. I had the opportunity to give him more music," Bang told MTV. "It's just hard to do. It's just hard to keep working for free. Aint got nothing to do with royalties, but you do work, you expect to get paid for the work and sh*t. You keep getting the run around so it's like you can't just keep giving somebody your best sh*t... it's hard to do."
Bangledesh had to know what he was walking into, and did it anyway. He wanted to the chance to work with Lil Wayne again after crafting 'Tha Carter III' banger, "A Milli." He took a leap of faith and may have struck out again.
He says there are several ways he could have been compensated.
"Producers get paid several ways - like there's different monies," Bang explained. "This aint got nothing to do with the royalties, it's just the fee what I charge for the beat and it hasn't been handled properly."
"6'7" will appear on on Wayne's upcoming 'Tha Carter IV' album.
Should we feel sorry for Bangledesh given the fact he wasn't paid before, and knew the risk going in?
DEDICATED TO THE ART OF HIP-HOP BEATS.
- RAYDO
- BRONX, NY, United States
- WELCOME , I GO BY THE NAME OF RAYDO. I WAS RAISED IN THE SOUTH BRONX, NEW YORK CITY SINCE THE AGE OF SIX YRS OLD.GROWING UP IN THE BRONX I WAS SORROUND BY THE ELEMENTS OF HIP-HOP, GRAFFITI , DEEJAYING, BREAKDANCING, RAPPING. I HAVE CREATED THIS WEBSITE TO PRAISE & PAY HOMAGE TO THE MEN & WOMEN BEHIND THE BOARDS MAKING THE BEATS FOR ALL YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS.REMEMBER HIP-HOP IS NOT DEAD AS LONG AS THE BEATS KEEP BANGIN'.
Friday, April 29, 2011
N.E.R.D Joins New Era Flagbearers.
The news that alt pop group N.E.R.D., Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shae Haley, had joined the New Era Flagbearers lineup as part of the Fly Your Own Flag campaign took me back a few years to the days when Pharrell was taking on the role of high dollar tastemaker and New Era was pursuing limited edition local cap campaigns like they were a sneaker company. It's weird how quickly cutting edge marketing approaches become business as usual for reaching youth and/or the almost sacred to marketers realm of 18 to 35 year old males.
Viewing the New Era Flagbearers site, I'm immediately struck by the tension between the style of baseball players and the style of tastemakers from artistic realms. Baseball style has such a conservative vibe one almost feels sorry for New Era compared to sneaker companies who can connect basketball players and hip hop stars or even go straight to skateboarders and get it all in one package. But such tension doesn't really seem to be a problem for New Era, the Coke or Nike of the cap game, especially now that they have connections with seemingly every major sports association and continue to dominate style-conscious sectors with the 59Fifty.
The initial roster announced for 2011 Flagbearers featured athletes plus the Ghetto Film School. In fact, if one discounts spoken word artist Mason Granger, N.E.R.D. is the only true musical act in the Flagbearers lineup. And it makes me wonder about musicians as tastemakers in the second decade of the 21st Century, given that most of their tastemaking activity revolves around things other than music.
One of the reasons someone like Pharrell can take tastemaking to the bank is that hip hop went from the streets to the penthouse. That journey eventually included luxury endorsements followed by luxury product lines based on the taste of rappers, producers and the people they hired with taste. Rock has made a similar, if less excessive, journey but rap has almost always treated taking that money as a sign of success. One generally isn't labeled a hip hop sellout for enjoying material goods. Oddly enough to those who denigrate rap, it's the art itself that's held accountable by one's fanbase, not the lifestyle.
But hip hop also helped make the musician less necessary to aligning one's brand with tastemakers. Hip hop culture is identified as including rapping, dj'ing, breakdancing, graffiti and, though so many have forgotten, beatboxing. This short list of skill areas has gone through many changes over the years but the strong identification of hip hop music with dance and visual arts has helped pave the way for individuals with less brand recognition to move into the limelight. As more and more companies aligned themselves with street artists working their way into the gallery system, music video directors working towards Hollywood and tshirt creators dreaming of three piece suits, the less necessary it became to get a musician on board to harvest that elusive substance called cool.
That's not to say that musicians are going out of style as tastemakers but it does mean that they have to share those precious revenue streams with artists from other disciplines. And it raises the question of whether folks like Pharrell have undermined themselves, perhaps even jumping the shark, when the highest artistic praise he or Kanye West has to give seems to be reserved for Louis Vuitton.
This line of thought doesn't even address the endless brand extensions that can start to turn a musician's personal brand, built on music, into a parody. Snoop Dogg might be forgiven when a relative pushes a Snoop Dogg hot dog line cause Snoop's brand is parodic but what does it mean when Pharrell starts putting outcandles based on his hand gestures? It's like the Blue Man Group tried to go upscale and only succeeded because it was a limited edition item whose sales aren't tracked publicly.
Granted most musicians don't really have to be concerned with such opportunities. Usually one has to worry more about album art and tshirt designs. But as music sales become lesser revenue streams and musicians seek even more ways to extend their appeal into other realms, they're quite right in being hesitant about how their brands are deployed. Most musicians already recognize that having mass-produced items flooding the market can kill one's credibility. Now they're burdened by the recognition that even limited edition luxury items can extend one's brand into a realm that doesn't ultimately support their musical identities and that being identified as a tastemaker can eventually transform an artist into a marketer.
D.J. Craze Praises Kanye
Craze related some of his experience from touring with Kanye on the emcee’s 2008 Glow In the Dark Tour. He stated, “I was just thinking, ‘Kanye, the superstar guy, was gonna finish doing his the show, go to an after party, get with the hoes, just be a rock star,’ and none of that [happened.] The whole time we were on tour he was working on 808s And Heartbreak. When we were in China…everybody went to the Great Wall to check it out. And I was like, ‘Where’s [Kanye] at?’ And they were like, ‘He’s in the studio.’…He had a makeshift studio in the dressing room and he was always, always working. This guy wasn’t getting any sleep. He wasn’t messing with girls or trying to go party…The work ethic was just incredible.”
Needlz Wins 2011 ASCAP Pop Award, Producing Honors English EP
Needlz takes a home another award for his production and links up with Honors English for a new EP.
Producer Needlz took home yet another honor last night at the 28th annual ASCAP Pop Awards. The producer won an award for his work on Bruno Mars's smash single "Just the Way You Are," a song that also earned him a Grammy earlier this year.
"Both winning a Grammy and receiving the ASCAP Pop Award are major," he said. "Overall though, just being relevant after so many years [is] a big accomplishment to me. So many people come and go, and I just had the best year of my career thus far, so I'm definitely blessed. I'm all about the music these days - I'm really all for making an impact, it's about more than money to me."
He added, "I think it's awesome that after doing urban music for so long, I've been able to have such a big mainstream record. I find myself listening to a variety of music these days, and eventually I want to get in to dance and electronic music. I'm just looking for the right artist to break in with."
Needlz isn't content with simply winning awards, however. The beatsmith behind hits from the likes of Ludacris and Drake recently linked up with emcee Honors English to release a new EP, which the singles "Crazay" and "Flying High" with Lupe Fiasco and TL Cross.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Akai MPC 2000XL and E-Mu SP1200 USB Flash Drives
USB flash drives are really boring. They just look like each other and failed to surprise you. But we you see here are two custom-made flash with a design based on calssic Hip Hop equipments.
The first one is the Akai MPC 2000XL flash drive that shaped like the classic drum machines / sampler. Another one is the E-Mu SP-1200 flash drive, based on the 12-Bit drum machine / sampler.
Both drives has 4GB capacity and features “Super Durable PVC Rubber Construction” and “Ultra High Detail”. They are priced at $39.95.
[productpage]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lords Of Underground Working On LP With Marley Marl
Veteran Hip-Hop group Lords of the Underground (LOTUG) will celebrate their 20th year as a unit with the release of their 5th, untitled album.
According to group member "Doitall" Du Kelly, group members Mr. Funke and DJ Lord Jazz have spent hours crafting the new record, which s being Executive Produced by rap legend Marley Marl.
All three members of the Newark, New
LOTUG's 1993 debut album Here Comes The Lords produced five records that charted, including their biggest hit singles "Chief Rocka" and Funky Child."
"It's time, man. We've toured the world, we've done our separate ventures, and now, we go back to what brought us to the dance," Doitall told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "This time, it's for not just us, but the fans as well."
At press time, there is no release date, or album title for Lords of the Underground's 5th studio album.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Win Tix to AAMC Producer Conference XXL has one registration to give out to an aspiring producer…
All Access Music Conference (AAMC) has announced their first ever Producer Edition sponsored by Fuse and XXL magazine and we have one free registration to give away to an aspiring beatmaker.
The first reader to email XXL@harris-pub.com with their full name (first, and last), along with the answer to the following question will win: Kanye West worked with several of his influences, production-wise, on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Name three. Be sure to put “AAMC Contest” in the subject line of the email, and please do not enter the contest if you will not be in the New York area this weekend.
As previously reported, the networking conference will be taking place on April 30 at Sir Stage37 in New York City. This is the first time that the AAMC will be expanding to have a Producer Edition. Fuse’s television showHip Hop Shop will feature both the event and the AAMC Panelists and Producers.
This full day event will offer up-and-coming producers along with artists and songwriters direct access to a panel full of A&R executives from labels such as Atlantic, Def Jam, Interscope, Bad Boy and many more. There will also be an interactive beat making workshop hosted by Dip Set producer Araab Muzik.
In addition one aspiring producer will have the opportunity to work with Maino. There will be a contest where 10 beatmakers will be selected by the AAMC panelists for a chance to play their tracks directly for the Brooklyn MC. Maino will consequently make the final decision on who he will collaborate with on a track. Following the conference the lucky winner and Maino will head right over to Fight Klub Studios to record.
For more info on the conference visit
Monday, April 25, 2011
Yung Berg Says He Produced A Lil Wayne & Rick Ross Song For "Tha Carter IV"
The former Epic/E1 Entertainment star has joined partner AYO and is heading into production, with a major credit reportedly coming.
Chicago, Illinois rapper Yung Berg is moving forward with a career in production. Teamed with partner in production AYO, the pair reportedly has upcoming material with the likes of longtime collaborator Ray J, Brandy, Jim Jonesand even Hip Hop superstar Lil Wayne.
In an interview with Mikey T The Movie Star, Berg revealed, "The newest release that we have right now, it's called "John (If I Should Die)," it's off Tha Carter IV [by] Lil Wayne. We put it out as a second effort, off of Tha Carter IV, featuring Rick Ross." The album is expected to release in June of this year.
On Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne worked with several rapping producers, including Kanye West, David Banner, Swizz Beatz and Dre (of Cool & Dre).
Havoc Producing Tracks For Up & Coming Eminem & Royce album.
@THEREALHAVOCHavoc
produced on the bad meets evil album that will be out June 14th! by @Eminem and @TheRealRoyce59
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
15 Awesome MPC Cakes
Here is a collection of 15 cool, and not so cool MPC cakes.
I think last weeks post of 50 Creative Music Equipment Cakes have better quality cakes.
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg Event Rumored To Take Place On Memorial Weekend
The Good Doctor and The Doggfather may be reuniting for a Memorial Weekend event but details are still unclear as to how this reunion will shape up.
Reports have surfaced about a possible reunion between Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in the form of a Memorial Day Weekend event in Miami, Florida. According to top Hip Hop blog, You Heard That New, this will be a "massive event" but no official details have been released and little is known about the plans.
The two first linked up when Dr. Dre signed Snoop Dogg out of Long Beach, California. The two have since been linked based on their partnership in the early 90's, a bond that allowed them to create Snoop's 1993 debut, Doggystyle and other memorable cuts since. However, they have not collaborated consistently in years.
While many supporters will be pleased to hear of this rumor, it wouldn't be the first time plans for a Dre/Snoop reunion failed to come to fruition. Snoop once announced that he and Dr. Dre would team up for Break Up to Make Up, an album that never came to be. Most recently however, the rapper/producer duo reunited for "Kush," the first track released for Dr. Dre's highly anticipated Detoxalbum.
M.I.A. Enlists Swizz Beatz, Polow Da Don for Mixtape
The "Paper Planes" singer has apparently linked up with Swizzy, Polow and others for her upcoming mixtape.
M.I.A.'s 2007 hit "Paper Planes" had Hip Hop listeners of all varieties nodding their heads and dusting off their mics for the remix treatment. Now, the British music sensation is further deepening her ties to the Hip Hop genre with a new mixtape featuring a variety of rap's top artists.
According to Billboard, M.I.A. has enlisted a variety of top-tier Hip Hop producers for her latest as-of-yet untitled project. The guest list thus far includes Swizz Beatz, Polow Da Don and the Cataracs, who found chart success last year with the Far East Movement's "Like a G6."
"I think she's really going fucking H.A.M. on this," said Niles "Cyrano" Hollowell-Dha of the Cataracs. "She's not pulling any punches...[she is] working on a mixtape, and she wants it to be like an album."
Polow Da Don also revealed on Twitter that he had been in the studio with M.I.A. He even mentioned that she may be working with Chris Brown,
IN THE LAB WIT THE GREAT @chrisbrown AND THE INCREDIBLE @_M_I_A_ THANK YOU DEAR LORD! #BLESSED #FUCKTHEDEVIL#CANTSTOP #WONTSTOP #FULLCIRCLEless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® 
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