BEI: Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey Interview

Marueen Yancey, or “Ma Dukes” as she’s affectionately entitled, is full of laughter. Despite the tragedy and challenges life tossed her way like a ninety-mile-an-hour fastball -- the death of her son, the legendary James “J Dilla” Yancey, a mind-boggling legal battle with the executors of his estate and extensive health issues -- a warming cadence and an unwavering positivity resonates in every syllable she speaks. And after each anecdote, after each heartwarming story about her son’s legacy or her triumphant struggle to launch The J Dilla Foundation (a not-for-profit organization charged with funding inner-city music programs and providing scholarships to students attending schools that have progressive music curricula) or the “advantages” of her bout with Lupus following Dilla’s passing from the exact same condition, Ma Dukes releases a gregarious laugh. It's the laugh of a matriarch that celebrates life's blessings and the spirit of a lost one. It's the laugh of a woman that has no need to look for a silver lining, because she sees no clouds. It's a laugh that is equally endearing and empowering. In this lengthy yet candid interview as part of Bodega Education Initiative on July 6th, BrooklynBodega.com spoke with Mrs. Yancey about the life of J Dilla, the battle to launch The J Dilla Foundation and J Dilla’s secret in selecting records to sample. BB: What was Dilla like as a child and where did his musical interests come from? MY: It came from just living in the house, 100 percent [laughs]. Everyone is musically inclined and seems to be gifted in some way. His dad always used jazz to put Dilla to sleep. So, you know, his first music for nursery rhymes or put to sleep music was jazz and that’s what he went to sleep by. It was the only thing that would put him to sleep, as a matter of fact. When he wasn’t well or had those baby fevers or whatever, it would be jazz that would soothe him or make him go to sleep. We really didn’t notice until he was almost a year old the profound effect that would have on him as a child, because before he was walking or standing, James Brown had really influenced him to the fact that he would jump up as if he could stand or walk and dance to the entire length of a James Brown record -- any James Brown record -- until almost the last few beats. He was aware of the record almost ending, and he would get this petrified look on his face and grab ahold of the side of the playpen and ease his way down [as if] he had remembered that he couldn’t walk or stand up yet. But he was having the time of his life until [the song ended]. [Laughs] He always loved music. He always collected records as a young child. At two years old, he’d put on his hat and sun glasses that matched and his little jacket and walk to the park and spin records. And this is what he did daily as a recreational activity for himself. He was not like my foster son who would play with trucks and cars and all of the Transformer-type toys that he had. Dilla didn’t have time for that [because] he was busy spinning records. Always. BB: If I understand correctly, you have an opera background and your husband has a jazz background... MY: Yes, that is what I was trained to do as a child. By having a music teacher in the family, I was trained for the opera and of course she used me [laughs] to do all the concerts in school and everything [laughs]. She didn’t have to worry, I just spent weekends learning pieces and before the end of the year I’d perform these pieces. That started in elementary school so by the time I was a teenager, I was in love with it. [Laughs] BB: Did either of you have any reservations with Dilla stepping into Hip-Hop and rap music, especially when it was so new? MY: Uh, no. I’ll tell you, at the time, he was well versed in all types of music. He played snare drum for a gospel group every Sunday. He would rehearse with different people and we knew this is what youth were listening to. You know, at the time when [Hip-Hop] came out, everybody [was saying that rap music] would be in and out in two years. And I can tell people now, I remind them, that ‘you always said that it would only last a year or two and it’s still here and it’s growing and it’s a culture now’. I do remember that, but we weren’t worried about it because he was a great kid and he had his head on straight so it wouldn’t have mattered. BB: The reason I ask is because I remember a lot of adults at that time had a big problem with the language... MY: Yeah, you know there were songs that had our eye brows raised but we knew that he knew where and when to use it. He had the utmost respect at home. And when he performed, he even asked that we maybe not go to St. Andrews when he performed and when people would invite us there he would say ‘No, you’re not going to appreciate the language‘. And that’s what was up and we respected that. And of course they would rehearse in the house, and we could hear it, but you know, we knew it was part of what the music brought. It was a package and we felt secure in all that he did because he wasn’t flighty, he wasn’t a follower and he had is own world revolved around his music. So we felt great about it because he was such a respectful individual. BB: You mentioned that Dilla always had a musical interest, but at what point did you realize that that interest was truly an exceptional talent? MY: I think when different artists tried to get him to come to their side. It seemed like there was a little thing going on at one time, he was getting phone calls maybe from [A Tribe Called Quest] and Babyface at the same time, trying to get him to come do something here or there or whatever. And it seemed like it was a [bidding] war kind of thing going on. And he was so involved and working with so many different people that we figured that he had something going on here and everybody wants a part. BB: How did he get involved with so many different major industry players? MY: Oh I’ll tell you, the key to it all was Amp Fiddler. Amp Fiddler opened the door and he took special time with Dilla. He was and still is huge in Detroit. It didn’t matter what type of music they were going into, he’d take the time to nurture skill if they had any or to educate them on the keys or any instrument or on his various engineering talents -- they’d master those right there at Amp Fiddler’s. BB: So Amp Fiddler was the door way... MY: He’s the key. He’s the one that introduced Dilla to Q-Tip. So that was it, then it was over. BB: What year are we talking about? 1992? MY: Amp was working with him before then, that was like in the late 80s. Dilla was already going over to Amp’s doing studio work. But by the time he had honed his skills and Amp felt that they were to perfection, he introduced him to Q-Tip. BB: When you started hearing about Q-Tip wanting to work with Dilla or Babyface wanting to work with Dilla, did you have an opinion on which direction he should go? MY: No, we never interfered because we always told our children, even as toddlers, right from wrong and we felt like we should respect their wishes. Kids don’t always feel the same way that their parents do and parents aren’t always right. You try to lead them in one direction and you hope it’s the right direction but we’re all different. So what’s right for me might not always be right for you. We always wanted to guide them in the right direction but if they felt that their direction was a little different, we respected that. BB: One of the interesting paradigms when it comes to Dilla’s career is that he’s worked with pretty much everyone [in the industry], he can pretty much do anything when it comes to creating sounds yet he’s still under acknowledged... MY: Yeah, that’s a fact [laughs]. People are still learning about him and his work is still being brought forth by a lot of individuals. And it’s still an honor. I would have loved to have it happened while he was here because he spent his entire life dedicated to it because it’s what he felt he was here for. Music was his life’s blood. But it wasn’t in vain. We’re still doing all we can, fans alike, to make sure his music was heard and that he stays out there and that people realize that he was here on a mission and he accomplished that before he left. BB: It seems to me that he was more reserved, that he didn’t want the spotlight... MY: No, he didn’t. He was bashful. It was totally different than his stage persona. Very bashful. He wasn’t at all comfortable just talking all the time because he stuttered -- as a child, oh yes, he did stutter [laughs]. So he never wanted to be caught uncomfortable and that was one reason. When he would get wrapped up in something or get excited or get into his music, he wouldn’t stutter. He could rap all day without stuttering, but that passion is what made him comfortable. He was happy in that environment and he really didn’t care about seeing or [talking about] what he did. He just wanted to do good work, make it quality work so people could enjoy it. BB: I read an interesting article where Q-Tip described having to drag Dilla to the Grammy’s one year just because he didn’t want that acknowledgement, didn’t want to be in that environment. MY: He sure didn’t. No, he did not. I got that phone call that night [laughs]. I was excited that he was there, but the phone call let me know that he was really unhappy [laughs]. BB: What did he say on the phone call? Could you hear it in his voice? MY: Oh my God, yes I could hear it in his voice because he was in tears [laughs]. He was angry. He was angry [laughs]. I was here wishing I was there with him, you know. And he was crying and said he wasn’t going in [to the Grammy Awards show]! [Laughs] BB: I feel as though the Donuts project is probably the most personal for you... MY: Yes. BB: But is there a certain time period that stands out the most that is your favorite time period for his work? MY: Donuts is incredibly new to me as far as picking me up and carrying me all day. But in the beginning with Pharcyde, that was something. And for many years my favorite has been “Vivarant Thing” [laughs]. That’s been my favorite for years. And “Breathe And Stop” -- I missed it totally while he was composing it, but I was out in the truck riding with my husband in Detroit, and I heard a couple of beats come on before any vocals, and I jumped up in the front of the truck and said ‘That’s Jay! That’s Jay’. And my husband was like ‘What?‘ And I said ‘This is Jay’s music’. I knew after the first couple of beats that was him. It just grabbed me, you know. And I called him on the phone all crazy and everything saying ‘Did you do this? Did you do this?‘ And he said ‘Didn’t you know?’ But he never discussed those things. I never knew about magazine articles, newspapers, anything that was going on until somebody else called me and told me. He never even talked about it. BB: So Pharcyde and “Breathe and Stop”... MY: Yeah, Pharcyde because that “Runnin”, it was just incredible. And to hear that music at the same time that you’re watching ski resort commercials, that was something. That was something big for us. BB: The story behind The J Dilla Foundation is talked about enough in Hip-Hop circles that all of us are enraged at the way it was managed to a degree. If I’m not mistaken, you wanted to start the Foundation in February of 2006, correct? MY: Yes, February 2006 was the first one. And then all that craziness with the old estate [happened] and, of course, we had a reprieve. We decided to try it again and, you know, I wouldn’t give up. I was just waiting to get well enough to fight. Because of the fans and because of the artists that are out there that felt the injustice, I was never really alone. Everyone was just as enraged as I was. BB: But you were able to successfully relaunch [The J Dilla Foundation] this year... MY: Oh yes, we relaunched...actually it was effective in December of 2009 and we have our 501(c)(3) Non-Profit [Organization] status. It’s just been great. It’s just been great. Everything is working like clockwork. We had our state approval in less than two weeks and the IRS approved our 501(c)(3) in less than ninety days. So that is just wonderful. We had our first official launch party, which was great in vibe, but not as financially successful as we’d like. But we still managed to get two of our programs off and running. BB: Describe your relationship with [former J Dilla estate executor] Arty Erk? MY: Oh my God, you know, I actually have no relationship with them. After [I] had gotten sick, I felt that they were being unjust with the family and really wanted me out of the way [laughs]. Even when they put that ad out in Billboard Magazine, that was it. I told Arty Erk that I felt that he was racist... BB: You’re referring to the ad that Arty Erk ran in Billboard Magazine in 2008 [ordering people to cease and desist from using Dilla’s work on future projects], correct? MY: Yes, yes. After that, which was done for no reason, I [decided] I won’t personally have any communication with him. I told [Dilla’s attorney, Micheline Levine] that he won’t have to worry about me asking him for anything because he acted like it was such a bother if I called and asked him anything. I told her that since she ‘seems to think that there isn’t anything wrong with what he’s doing and that he’s doing such a great job, then I’ll leave you alone also.‘ And that was it. People were just really upset at the way things were handled. BB: You mentioned that [Arty Erk] was possibly racist. Did I hear you correctly? MY: I felt he was racist. I told him ‘I felt like because I’m a black mother and I’m going through all these changes and I can’t even get any information and you won’t do anything to help at all‘. After all, I was an employee of Dilla’s, I worked for him, and I wasn’t given any consideration as to what was going on. I worked tirelessly and I left my family from my home to take care of him. I felt like they should’ve tried to do more even when Dilla was alive. So I had really had enough, you know. Every time I wanted to do something, they would try to block it and tell me I couldn’t do it. So, I felt that was unfair because it didn’t have anything to do with image or likeness, it was just people wanted to do things for me and they would threaten them to not do anything. I thought that was a little over the top. BB: So, there was essentially a three year battle to gain control? MY: It was like a battle. I was so sick, I said during a conference call ‘you know, I’m not going to worry about it. I’m very sick right now. I can’t walk for myself or do anything for myself, so I’m just going to let it go, step back and let them do whatever it is that they’re doing, and get myself strong enough to fight.’ And that’s what I did. BB: I attended the J Dilla tribute party, “Donuts Are Forever” [at The Bell House] in Brooklyn last February. ?uestlove was spinning. You were there. For me, that was the first J Dilla tribute that I had ever personally gone to. Just to witness the outpouring of love and appreciation first hand was amazing. Is there anything that surprises you as as you travel, work with different organizations with The J Dilla Foundation, and witness the amount of love he’s garnered all over the world? MY: I’m always surprised because it’s just getting bigger. That’s what knocks me off my feet. The fans, their love never dies. They’re staunch fans. They’re there for life. I’ve never seen anything like the fans over seas, and when I was in New York, it was just incredible. It was like a movement going on. The energy was something to really get choked up about. I’d never seen anything like it. And it’s growing like that, so I’m always surprised because the crowds get bigger, the ages are getting younger, and more people are introduced to him each year and they’re going back to get the music. It’s just a tremendous gathering of people everywhere and from different walks of life. BB: Are you, or The J Dilla Foundation in control of his finances at this point? MY: No, we’re still working things out. Believe it or not, they’re finally just getting all of the paperwork. They’re working with the IRS to finish all that stuff up, [medical bills] and anything that was left behind, they’re ironing it out. Once that’s ironed out, then my family can move ahead. BB: It’s great to see that everything is progressing, especially considering how things have been up to this point. MY: It’s not about money, or a price, or anything like that. It never was. It’s about respecting the work that he did and realizing that it’s worthy to be heard. And that was a discrepancy that we had with the old estate. They didn’t think anything about it. They couldn’t have cared less. His name needs to be [upheld] because he did great work and he did it for the people. It wasn’t about himself. Even in his hospital bed during his prayers, when he was almost out of it, he prayed and asked that he be able to finish his work to give back to the world. And I was sitting there and I’ll never forget those words because he wasn’t praying to feel better tomorrow or to ‘make me walk again‘, [he prayed to] ‘let me finish my work so I can give my gift back to the world‘ were his exact words. He meant that and it will always burn in my heart. He loved his fans that much. BB: I do want to ask about you and your current health. I know you’re in the midst of a bout with Lupus yourself. How are things? MY: I seem to be doing all right on that end. Nothing is getting worse on that end, I think. The fight with Diabetes was harder [laughs] when I first started having problems with that. I was on a lot of steroids and I had a heart attack. That was a really stressed time. The Rheumatoid Arthritis has been the thorn in the side, because you never know one day if you’ll be able to stand up or get out of bed or if I can put my own clothes on or what, you know. But state of mind has a lot to do with it and [you have to keep] pressing forward and make everything happen. Now I just have to get well and keep pushing it. I’m on some of the best medication now...so I can look forward to healthier, more energetic days. There's an advantage to nursing Dilla through his illness. It gave me an insight and so I know what I’m looking at so I’m not puzzled by certain reactions or certain things that happened because I already know what I’m working with. So that’s an advantage that I have. I think back to how it was handled with him and what to expect. It makes it a little easier. I don’t have to learn [about the illness]. BB: You remain a beacon of light even through the ordeals you’ve encountered. MY: Thank you. It’s an honor to do the work that I do. Even during a bad day, the work that I have to look forward to just makes the day brighter. It’s a good work and the foundation is created to help other people and that comes first. And I know [Dilla] would be proud because he believed in helping other people to accomplish whatever they can get in this world. By helping young people, that would help him smile even more. BB: How are Dilla’s daughters [Paige and Ja'Maya] and are they surprised about or understand the impact that their father had on the world? MY: They are always excited, and they’re getting used to it [laughs]! But I don’t think they’re going to realize the impact until they get a little bit older. They’re honored. I spend tons of time with them now. And the baby girl, Ja’Maya, is here every weekend. Nothing can stop her from coming to Grammies’. So that helps keep me enriched too because she’s the epitome of Dilla. She’s identical to Dilla in her mannerisms and her laughter is his. So that helps a lot too. BB: I also read how Dilla showed you how to select records in a record store... MY: Yeah [Laughs]! BB: What’s Dilla’s secret to selecting records to sample? MY: I always assumed that I’d be looking for known artists, certain songs, always looking for hit [records]. And I had it all backwards [laughs]! The key was to look for different instruments and how many guitars were on there and how many horns were on a song if it was an unknown artist. And to try to find an album with songs that had not been heard that would’ve had different instruments. So that is the key -- finding stuff that people haven’t heard that had instrumentation and could be moved around and could be composed. BB: Lastly, I do want to say congratulations. I know Berkley College [in MA] now has a J Dilla program for students, and one of the missions of The J Dilla Foundation is to support inner city youth, music programs and also bring that curriculum to institutions of higher learning. We appreciate and value the work of your organization. MY: Thank you. In 2011 it’s New York’s turn. We’ll be raising funds for New York next year. We already have it mapped out. We have so many people that we love so much in New York that we’re really going to do it up [laughs]! Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey and Q-Tip will speak during the Bodega Education Initiative on July 6th as part of the 2010 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival Week. PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE BEI HERE PURCHASE MUSIC BY J DILLA HERE For more information on The 6th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival visit www.bkhiphopfestival.com For inquiries about The J Dilla Foundation, please visit www.jdillafoundation.org or contact by phone or email: 313.355.8488 info@jdillafoundation.org If you would like to make a donation, make your tax-deductible check payable to: THE J DILLA FOUNDATION Send to: 18456 Wexford St., Detroit, MI 48234

BHF ALUMNI: Donny Goines-Connecting The Dots

It would be a major understatement to say that Donny Goines is on is grind. Ever since he was part of the BHF 2009 roster, he’s been a man and an artist on a mission, making tons of appearances and being a constant staple in Hip Hop during most of 2010. This year alone, Goines has been seen at the Highline Ballroom in NYC in a cipher that included noteworthy names Amanda Diva, Black Thought, Skyzoo (performing this year at BHF), Esso and Daytona, and released his 20X six-track EP project, presented by Rocksmith Tokyo, to much critical acclaim (a review on PlanetIll.com described the album as “eclectic, strong and very personal’). He’s also set to release his highly-anticipated third album, Yesterday’s Tomorrow. In an interview with Karmaloop TV on Vimeo a little less than a month ago, Goines described the album as “a merger of his first two”: Minute after Midnight and Breakfast Club, respectively, and “the end of a trilogy.” “If you don’t understand me as an artist, when you hear this project, you’re going to say, ‘This kid is a serious problem right now.’” (Take a look at the interview on http://vimeo.com/12433780.) And recently on xxlmag.com and a few other spots, Goines released the track “Rock NYC (Laguardia/JFK Remix), featuring notable guest spots on from Asher Roth, Mistah F.A.B. and Rapper Big Pooh formerly of Little Brother. With a diverse mix of emcees on the track, fans of Goines and people that may not know his name yet are sure to get something they don’t expect. Donny Goines is definitely keeping busy and doing the BHF fam proud. For more information, visit him on MySpace, Twitter and on his own personal blog, at donnygoines.blogspot.com.

Queen Latifah: ‘Put On Your Crown’

From npr When singer, rapper and actress Queen Latifah realized how many young women are stuck in violent relationships, putting themselves down and dealing with other personal challenges, she decided to reach out. With her new book, Put On Your Crown, she tells NPR's Neal Conan that she hopes to encourage young women by admitting her own mistakes, and sharing the lessons she's learned. Latifah says she doesn't worry too much about opening up to the public about the abuse in her family or the loss of her brother. "I'm only going to give you what I want to give you of my life," she says. "When it comes to really trying to help someone better themselves or make better decisions, for me, that's the best way to do it." According to Latifah, sharing both the good and the bad of her life experience helps readers relate to her. She says it allows them to see that the important thing is what you do with the challenges life hands you. "It's how you respond to them that's going to make you who you are," she says.

2 Hungry Bros Presents

From 2 Hungry Bros We Are Happy to Announce the official date for the Release of the Eagerly anticipated album, No Room For Dessert, is JULY 27, 2010. Smack dab in the Middle of the Summer. Summer 2010 is cooking up to be something great with the energizing release of Homeboy Sandman's Good Sun at SOB's , June 1st and the Album release party. For more information on No Room For Dessert, the 2 Hungry Bros, 8thw1, and our label, DOMINATION RECORDS please visit DOMINATION RECORDINGS We also don't want to keep you hanging. If it wasn't for such great fans where would we be. Just like Chubb Rock said in "Treat Em Right". Since we love that era so much, we've decided to hit you with a treat! Here's "HARM MUSIC" HARM MUSIC ON BANDCAMP The sun's shining bright, the BBq's are about to Jumpoff! House parties.... In the spirit of Back For SECONDS and Lots of Fun , I present to you 8thw1 and HOMEBOY SANDMAN "HARM MUSIC" This is a modified version of the single "NO HARM" with 8thw1 and Homeboy Sandman. The original, which will be available on June 15th, features Reef the Lost Cauze and Von Pea (TANYA MORGAN) as well. Go to Itunes, Amazon, every digital market on June 15th 2010. And you know the 2 Hungry Bros stay busy. You also know we've recently had the pleasure of working with MC, Likwuid on Ciph Diggy's album on the song Synchronized Rhyming, which some people thought was called "I Was There". We also had the pleasure of working with her on our Mixtape, BACK FOR SECONDS. So much that we have been investing more time and effort into her extraordinary talent and since MAY 11, 2010, have digitally released the single off her upcoming project Gummy Bears and Champagne, "GO L!".  It is available everywhere that sells digital music along with our single NO HARM. Please enjoy and listen for more outstanding music from Likwuid and the 2 Hungry Bros LIKWUID on AmAZON

Salute The DJ: Bobbito Garcia Interview

Bobbito, Cucumberslice, Kool Bob Love: call him what what you may, one thing is certain, Robert "Bobbito" Garcia is a true connoisseur of New York street culture. Brand consultant by day for the likes of EA Sports, Nike, and Virgin to spinning across the globe at night (pun intended) Bobbito is one busy man. BrooklynBodega.com caught up with Bobbito at White Park in East Harlem, literally one block from his childhood home. Peep the interview below to find out his favorite moment on the landmark Stretch and Bobbito Show, plugging one of the first street wear boutique "Bobbitos Footwork", and his admiration for Ron Artest. On Lakers vs Celtics for the 2010 NBA Finals: "Um, I'm a Ron Artest fan. We put him on the cover of our magazine, Bounce about two years ago and, incredible enough for an NBA player making his salary, the brother, during the summer, plays against pre-teens on a daily basis in the projects in [Queens Bridge]. He'll play full-court, one against five, and he doesn't allow himself to go inside the three point line. That's how he actually got his three-pointers up to forty percent when he was with the Rockets, so, to me, you don't ever hear about NBA players hanging out in the hood that much. Like, they might come visit, they may play a game here and there but Artest is in the hood daily, so mad props to him for not forgetting where he comes from. Me and Kobe Bryant went to the same high school -- Lower Marion [High School in Pennsylvania] -- so I always root for him. But honestly, I don't really care. They all got rings already, so whatever." On Bobbito's absolute favorite moment on the Stretch and Bobbito Show: "In 1993, myself and Stretch were up in the studio [and] Large Professor brought his sampler and was playing beats that had never came out before at that point, and most of them had never came out afterwards. And it was Large Professor, Pharoahe Monch, Prince Poetry, OC and Kool Keith. So that's like five of my favorite Emcees. You know, top 15, top 20 of all time, definitely. And they just traded verses. It was incredible." On the possibility of bringing back Bobbito's Footwork: "I did Bobbito's Footwork from 1996 to 2000. It was a one-of-a-kind shop. [We] sold sneakers, very much boutique style...We also sold second hand records, independent T-shirt lines, graffiti magazines, you name it. We were like a one-stop-Hip Hop-shop and I had a lot of fun doing it but, at this point, I don't think there's really a need for it. I moved on, I'm doing a lot of fun stuff. Now I'm working with Project 250, a co-owner of Bounce Magazine, I'm working on a basketball documentary in the summer, still DJing around the world and DJing right here in Harlem where it belongs. So, I'm a happy individual and blessed by God." On the DJ's role in Hip-Hop culture: "In true Hip-Hop culture, the DJ could never be diminished because, when you're talking about true culture, we are the backbone of it. So, in terms of the broader spectrum of Pop culture and Rap making it's benchmark in that realm, yeah sure the DJ has taken a little bit of a back seat but still you've got cats doing mixtapes and you've got club DJs making a difference. So, I'll say this is Hip-Hop right here. The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, that's Hip-Hop to me. So, you can't do those types of events without a DJ. You just can't." On never transitioning to Serato: "I'm 100 percent vinyl. I don't own a cell phone. I don't own a car. I don't wear jewelery. I'm a very simple person. I like beautiful things like analog sounds [which are] superior in warmth and quality to digital but it's just not as convenient so a lot of people don't really use it. But I am who I am and I'll stick to my guns." On how to represent Hip-Hop while speaking to Corporate America: "I'm the chief creator of an agency called Project 250. We're an ideas and solutions shop. We have Target, Nike, Jordan, EA Sports is our client. We've had Virgin and Ford and all these other clients. Basically, no lines are drawed. It's just a matter of always staying true to ourselves, knowing what we do well and providing that to Corporate America in a language that's digestible to them without striking out the essence of it. And that's what I've been doing my whole life, really. I've done forty commercials for Nike. I've done forty something [commercials] for EA Sports. I've had a TV show on ESPN and I've always been myself, so I just stick to that. And again, by the blessings of God, I'm a very fortunate man on Earth." Bobbito Garcia will perform during 'Salute The DJ' on July 8, 2010 at the Williamsburg Music Hall along with DJ Rob Swift, DJ Spinna, DJ Rhettmatic, Waajeed and more. PURCHASE TICKETS TO SALUTE THE DJ HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2010 BROOKLYN HIP-HOP FESTIVAL, VISIT BKHIPHOPFESTIVAL.COM CLICK HERE TO READ BROOKLYNBODEGA.COM'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DJ ROB SWIFT

Injunction Sought Against MTA Tagging Crew

From L.A. Times Los Angeles city prosecutors sought a civil court injunction Wednesday against the Metro Transit Assassins tagging crew, known for a massive, quarter-mile-long graffiti "bomb" of its acronym along the Los Angeles River. The injunction, which names 10 individuals, would be the first to specifically target a group of graffiti vandals, according to the city attorney's office. Unlike many "turf-based" anti-gang injunctions that create safety zones by limiting the activities of street gangs in a particular area or associating with one another, the injunction against the Metro Transit Assassins, or MTA, would impose a broad list of prohibitions against the crew. If granted, the court order would bar members from associating with each other, institute a mandatory 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and prevent members from possessing "graffiti tools or weapons." The civil suit is scheduled to be heard Aug. 31. It seeks $250,000 in civil penalties and $3.7 million in damages for what the city attorney's office described as 500 documented incidents of graffiti vandalism associated with MTA. Part of the damage was the massive MTA moniker that stretched the equivalent of several city blocks on the west bank of the Los Angeles River. At one point, the river was one of the largest open-air tagging canvases in the region, with thousands of graffiti tags covering its concrete banks. The MTA "bomb" was removed in October as part of a $1.3-million graffiti abatement program by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As one of the largest tags in the United States, its three block letters covered a three-story-high wall and ran between the 4th Street and 1st Street bridges. It could be seen from the air.

Loopt Tells Everyone Where You Are

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The stakes just got raised in the fight to dominate the hottest corner of the mobile apps market. Last week's iPhone update added a key piece of missing functionality to the wildly popular smart phone: It can now run third-party applications as a background process. That multitasking ability opens up a world of options for app developers in the burgeoning field of location-based social networking. Loopt, a geotagging app with 3 million users, raced out a new version that allows users to update their locations automatically as they move around. It's a change from rivals like Foursquare and Gowalla, which require users to manually check-in as they visit places. "This is absolutely the future of mobile," says Sam Altman, chief executive of Mountain View, Calif.-based Loopt. "Location is the sole difference between mobile and traditional Web. So of course these types of location-based apps are growing like crazy." Loopt 3.0 uses the new iPhone's iOS 4 to let its users continuously share their locations with specific friends for up to eight hours, with no further action on their part. If a Loopt friend is nearby, a notification pops up. Friends appear on a Loopt map, which updates in real-time. Manual check-ins are still available for sharing with a larger group of friends. "This is a huge deal for us, because this is what we imagined when Loopt launched in 2008," Altman says. "Background-updating is absolutely the future. Everyone else we talk to in the location space is moving toward it." Privacy? Who cares? The "location space" is a booming field, thanks to Gen Y-ers who have grown up in the Internet age and have no objection to broadcasting personal information that would make their parents shudder -- for example, their exact location at any given moment. The number of location-based services on smart phones is expected to rise to 81 million installations in 2010, a tenfold increase from just 8 million in 2009, according to a report released this week from iSuppli Corp. By 2014, the firm expects usage will soar to 297 million. A number of companies are fighting to capture those users: In addition to Foursquare and Gowalla, there's BrightKite, Whrrl, Buzzd, and scores more. Altman says Loopt tracks about 100 companies "that are doing something interesting in the location space."

Diamond District: DMV SHINING

One thing that separates Hip-Hop from other musical genres is the effect of locality and regional culture.  The East Coast, the South, the West Coast, and more recently the Midwest have placed influence on Hip-Hop through lyrical and production techniques that offer a distinct “sound” relative to each locale.  Within the East Coast, the area which has arguably proven to be most important region to Hip-Hop, we’ve seen New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia contribute various artists, DJs, groups and producers into the fold of the music, and define several aspects of the culture along the way. The one area that’s been relatively, and somewhat surprisingly quiet, has been the D.C./DMV area.  With so much culture and history involved, it’s a shock that we haven’t seen more from the DMV in Hip-Hop’s few decades of existence.  We have Wale, a more contemporary artist with a sound relative to the times.  But it seems that D.C. might have missed the boat in producing the more raw, street based Hip-Hop, that seems to be falling out of favor with major audiences.   Maybe, Maybe not. Diamond District, a trio composed of producer/rapper Oddisee, and emcees, X.O and yU.  Have quietly but powerfully put their mark on the Hip-Hop scene, and developed a sound and following that modern and more dated Hip-Hop fans can appreciate.  Just giving the group a first listen opens your ears to a brand new sound, that immediately evokes the roots and original sound of rap music.  What separates the group from other greener artists is the presence of experience and direction in their music. Listening to Diamond District isn’t like previewing a demo or unrefined set of loosely put together tracks.  The overall mindset of the group reflects maturity and industry wisdom.  Their debut album “In The Ruff” was released firstly in a digital format and was available for free download.  This avenue allowed their fanbase to grow, and gave the group an opportunity to create exposure through their own means, unlike many other artists who are subject to leaking and piracy. Speaking on the music itself, Oddisee, who produces for the group and other artists, has experience with Jazzy Jeff and Jean Grae among others. Naturally, his production offers a complex set of beats that is hard hitting, but also mellow enough to highlight the clear rhymes and fluidity of all three emcees.  Diamond District is gritty but polished, gutter but carefully constructed, and reflective of work that takes time to develop. The group works together, but also has an individualistic dynamic.  Each emcee tries to make each song their own, while working within the overall theme of each track.  Originating in the D.C. area, their rhymes reflect a mentality of the street life, but also have a higher level of an understanding that garners respect within various circles of rap critics. On “Streets won’t let me chill” a premiere track from their debut album, Oddisee describes his struggles and cognizance, balancing music with life’s pressures, he quotes, “I’m searching for the cool in it all/ As if the lining is silver and my flow cold enough then my tongue stick to it like the winter with frost..Develop the mic voice, cause if it don’t work, I gotta go to work and get a job with my white voice, and that ain’t the right choice”.  While X.O. puts his own identity on the track, explaining that, “All I got is my mission and my daughter, nah’msayin?...I would much rather give a brother dap, than to see a black man with a hole up in his back, damn.”    The group has a sort of unselfish cockiness to them, as if each member is confident enough in his own lyrical abilities, that they let each other shine in an almost equal fashion on seemingly every song.  Unlike other groups, where there is one standout or all star, and a few verses that get skipped over, Diamond District’s music is an experience that grants the listener a verse to look forward to one after the other. If their debut album is any indication, Diamond District is poised to not only revive an energy that’s missing from today’s Hip-Hop music, but also put a new fresh new sound into the game that may be unconsciously missing.  They say you don’t know what have until it’s gone, but perhaps Diamond District can give us back some of what we lost, from a place we’ve never heard from before. PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 2010 BROOKLYN HIP-HOP FESTIVAL HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DIAMOND DISTRICT AND OTHER BHF10 PERFORMING ARTISTS, VISIT WWW.BKHIPHOPFESTIVAL.COM

Lauryn Hill: The Rapper/Singer’s Poweful Voice

From npr I interviewed a lot of people for my story about Lauryn Hill's voice. I had to, because I didn't know if I'd be able to speak to her myself. The singer and rapper last released a recording eight years ago. She rarely performs in the U.S., and she almost never gives interviews. But her fans haven't forgotten her — they're still pleading for her to come back. Hill is a fantastic singer, as well as one of the greatest MCs of all time, and the story of her voice is the story of a generation. It doesn't take much for a group of thirtysomethings to get nostalgic about Hill. Put her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, on at a bar, and it takes the crowd right back to college days or high-school summers. I met Daryl Lutz while he was hanging out with a group of friends on the deck of Marvin's Bar in downtown Washington, D.C. "We went to school in Hampton, Va., and she came to do a show," he said. "It was one of the best times in my life — I mean, she spoke to me! We snuck backstage and I got her to sign my meal card. She said, 'This is your meal card, brother, you know?' I said, 'That's all I got.' She signed it, 'Eat well — L. Boogie.' That's something I'll never forget. I love her. I love her to death." I heard tons of stories like Lutz's that night — mostly closed with this plea: "Come back, Lauryn. We need you. Come back!" People spoke directly into the microphone, as if it were a telephone line. From New Ark To Israel Hill became a star with the hip-hop trio The Fugees. Their second album, The Score, came out in 1996, and it was an instant classic. The group — Hill, Wyclef Jean and Prakazrel Michel — sounded like they were in perfect sync. On the first single, "Fu-gee-la," Hill sang the hook, rhymed a verse, then sang again. She was the total package, more so than any other rapper, male or female, has been. She's one of slickest rappers ever: Her rhymes are dexterous, spiritual, hilarious, surprising. Without a doubt, she was the best-looking rapper the world had ever seen. And Hill was a soul singer with a real old-school, almost militant, politic. The second single was Hill's cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly." That recording has never really gone away, and its success built the expectations for Hill's solo record to a fever pitch. Particularly to women and young girls who listened to her then, she was a revelation. There was steel in her voice when she rapped; she sang like she really cared about our hopeless crushes and our impotent rages, like she really loved us. We thought maybe we could grow up to be like her. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill came out in 1998. It was like LeBron James' rookie year in the NBA. You knew he had the potential to be great after seeing him in high school — and then, right out of the gate, he's one of the best ball players in the league. Jayson Jackson, part of Hill's management team, described the recording process this way: "The record was already inside her. She would go into the studio, and it would just pour out of her." Lenesha Randolph sang backing vocals on Miseducation, and she describes herself today as the backing vocals "to all your favorite artists." She's on tour with Lady Gaga right now, but a formative influence on her singing was her work in the studio singing backup for Hill. "I don't know if people are gonna like this album, because I'm just singing, and nobody wants to hear rappers sing," Hill told Randolph at the time. Randolph says she couldn't believe it. "I was like, 'What are you talking about?' " Randolph says. "I would just stare at her, like, look in her mouth! Because when you hear her sing, and then hear her speak — it had such power and volume and rasp. It was something to strive for."

Kanye Sued Over ‘Stronger’

From DX Rapper Kanye West now has more to worry about than just being sued by Suge Knight: the rapper now faces a suit that alleges he stole the lyrics from his 2007 hit single, "Stronger." According to myfoxchicago.com, Virginia rapper Vincent "Vince P." Peters claims that he sent a copy of his version of "Stronger" to  John Monopoly, West's manager, in hopes that Monopoly would be an executive producer on his project. Seven months later, West released his single, "Stronger," on his album Graduation. Meanwhile, Peters' record deal fell through. The suit alleges that West's verison “copies significant and important parts of Peters’ lyrics identically or almost identically." Both versions use the phrases, “that which does not kill me makes me stronger,” “can’t wait much longer,” the corrupted word "wronger," and reference to Kate Moss. Defendants named in the suit are Roc-a-fella Records, a New York record label and UMG Recordings. The suit clames one count of copyright infringement, and asks that West and the record labels be prohibited from selling, distributing or performing the allegedly copyrighted song, and that they destroy all copies they have of the single. The suit also seeks an unspecified amount in damages.

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