CMJ » Taleah Griffin

CMJ 2012 Artist Q&A: Kendra Morris

Taleah Griffin — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:00:03 +0000

On the heels of the release of her debut album, Banshee, Kendra Morris talks kicking her ex-boyfriend out of her apartment, making connections and how artists can get the most out of CMJ 2012.

Congratulations on the release of your debut album, Banshee. How has the feedback been?
It’s been amazing. I just keep knocking on wood because I put all of these emotions into this album. I spent like a year working on it, and it took a while for it to even come out. When it finally came out it felt like I had a baby.

Last year when you performed at CMJ we dubbed you one of the top 10 R&Bish acts to watch. Do you identify your music as R&B?
Absolutely, I would definitely say it’s in the R&B realm. That’s the music that has always inspired me. But the good thing about being a songwriter is you get inspired by many different things, whether it is people I meet or something else that I’m listening to. So my music can reach into other categories as well.

As a songwriter you can be as personal as you want. Do you do a Taylor Swift thing and list ex-boyfriends’ names and kind of air them out?
[Laughs] No, I haven’t gotten there yet. But they know who they are. Banshee was actually written in the middle of a breakup. There were a few songs I wrote before the breakup, some written during and some written long after the breakup. It’s funny because I remember during the breakup when he was finally getting all of his shit out of my apartment, he looks at me and says (impersonating him), “Well, I hope you have a great album,” kind of sarcastically, and I’m just like, “Thanks, see you around.” [Laughs].

He actually had to live with me for an extra month after we broke up. I couldn’t just go and kick him out. He wasn’t a bad person; he just wasn’t the person for me. Then he finally physically moved his body out, but then he proceeded to leave all of his stuff in the apartment for another two months. It sucked so bad. Finally, I was like, “I’m going out of town. I need you completely gone when I get back.”

What can fans expect from this year’s CMJ performance that is different from last year’s?
It’s going to be new material, but it’s just come together so much. Me and the band have become more accustomed to the vocals. I think it will be a new-found confidence with the album coming out. I think people will know a lot of the songs now.

Are you reuniting with your former band, Pinktricity?
No. [Laughs] That’s really funny. Pinktricity is buried with the neon Nerds. That’s where I got the name from. It was a flavor of Nerds.

Now that you are more seasoned at CMJ, what part of the festival are you most looking forward to?
Probably seeing friends that don’t live in town. People come from all over the festival. All of the different parties and seeing a lot of different bands. I think it’s exciting seeing the city come to life in that sort of way.

What do you think are some of the benefits of attending festivals such as CMJ?
There is something really important about having a network of other musicians. Over the years, through festivals, I have really built on friendships with other artists. That’s really great because that’s where you are going to get the most advice and learn the most. One of my girlfriends who is playing this year is an amazing artist, and we try to do lunch once a month. What we do is sit and exchange ideas and see how we can help one another. With these networks you create, you can learn from other people’s mistakes and their successes.

What tips do you have for first-time CMJ performers?
Go to as many shows as you can, and don’t stay in your bubble. Some of my best connections have come from when I got over being awkward and shy and went up to someone and said, “Hey, I really like what you are doing or wearing.” If you can go outside of that scary and awkward feeling, you are breaking down this wall, and that’s how new relationships are built.

Kendra Morris performs Saturday, October 20, at Rockwood Music Hall as part of CMJ 2012.

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CMJ 2012 Panelist Q&A: Fiona Bloom

Taleah Griffin — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:00:33 +0000

For over 15 years Fiona Bloom, founder of the Bloom Effect, has been curating international events and strategizing some of the music industry’s most notable public relations campaigns. Her invaluable advice to artists and emerging publicists probably cost more than one month’s rent, but we caught up with her to get a sneak peak of what she will be sharing with attendees at this year’s festival.

What’s one mistake you made in the earlier part of your career that you can share as a cautionary tale to emerging music professionals?
I was too eager and loose with my mouth. Caught myself being a smart arse with too many opinions and didn’t know when to keep quiet. Another important lesson I learned—mistake/s I made—not knowing how to ask for something or losing out on deals because I didn’t let it be known that I initiated them. People quickly forget in this business.

In the music industry it is a little easier to make connections than to sustain them. What are some tips you have for sustaining relationships in the business?
Assist your connections and be open to queries from them as well. Always get back to people in a timely fashion. Connect them to other people so you are a “connector” and not just an active networker. It’s a special talent to have, and not everyone’s capable, but if you have that “connector” quality, you’re gold and everyone remembers you.

Billboard Biz named you one of the top people to follow on Twitter. What suggestions do you have for publicists and artists who are trying to garner more attention through social media?
Don’t broadcast and brag all the time. Definitely share your news, but do it in a way that helps others and educates. The more personal and engaging you are, the better your delivery and skill online becomes. Think of social media as “social” meaning friendly, meaning open and giving and give back. It shouldn’t just be self-promotion—it should be a conversation.

What advice do you have for young people who feel as though they are having trouble navigating their career path in the music industry?
Not get caught up in all the trivia, and just focus on what it is you love about the industry. What you’re passionate about, what makes you tick and what motivates you. Study up on all the advancements in social, mobile and technology, and go to as many seminars/workshops as you can. It will all eventually fall into place. Don’t rush it or force it.

Don’t miss Fiona Bloom Friday, October 19, at 12:30 p.m. as a moderator on the Global Social: Worldwide Impact Of Social Media And Music panel. Also catch Fiona Bloom tonight at the Import/Export showcase at DROM, featuring artists from around the world including New Villager, Alesh, Onili, Adrienne Mack-Davis, Krissy Krissy, Kevin Lester, Miz Metro, TEFF Mayweather-Barbados, Project E.A.R and DOPE D.O.D.

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CMJ 2012 Artist Q&A: Chance The Rapper

Taleah Griffin — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

With his thrilling, pugnacious mixtape, 10 Day, still making the rounds online and another project due out this November, Chance The Rapper is the latest artist to garner attention from what some are calling a Chicago hip-hop movement.

As he gears up for his first CMJ performance we caught up with the 19-year-old rapper at the popular Chicago clothing store Leaders. As the tranquil tunes of Pusha T’s Fear Of God played throughout the establishment, Chance sat down to discuss his new mixtape, Acid Rap, spending one day in college and what success means to him.

Chance The Rapper – 22 Offs by chancetherapper

Your new project is titled Acid Rap. How did you come up with the title?
It took a little while. The concept of the tape is derived from acid-jazz, which is like electronic jazz. It has a lot more drums. It’s like Roy Ayers or Jamiroquai. It’s a faster electronic jazz mixed with hip-hop. I was playing around with those sounds, and I got back interested in ’90s hip-hop and the East Oakland jazz hip-hop movement. I was listening to a lot of Souls Of Mischief. That sound influenced the tape and the title. This time I am doing more singing, and I am working with Milo And Otis. Their sound is ridiculous.

Have other local artists been receptive to you?
I’ve gotten some shade, but I think it in part comes from how competitive everyone is about their craft. Up until this point, we didn’t really seem to get too much support from our media bases here, specifically the radio. In Atlanta, you can turn on the radio and hear an artist you have never heard before, on a major syndicated station. Just on some supporting local artist shit. Then the rapper becomes huge because other cities pull music from other places. In Chicago, we find out what’s hot other places rather then making our own artist hot and having other cities pull from us. It’s changing though. We are getting out to the masses more.

You graduated from Jones College Prep, which is a well respected selective enrollment high school in Chicago. Was college ever an option for you?
It’s amazing how much you know about me [laughs]. I went to Harold Washington. After graduation I decided midway through the summer that I wasn’t going to go to college. My parents kind of told me a week before the school year was going to start like, “Yo if you don’t go to college we are going to kick you out of the house so you should probably go to school.” I was like “for sure” and registered at Harold Washington but I registered so late that there were no general education courses. So I had all these classes that were non-transferable credits and didn’t count for anything. I was taking a course called “Reading.” It wasn’t an English credit, we just used to read, no analysis of the text or anything. I went for like a day and everyone in my class was either pregnant or thirty or both. I was just like this isn’t for me. I left and just never went back.

Last month you did an interview where you mentioned that Chicago is super segregated. Do you think that helps or harms the Chicago music scene?
Great question. It’s definitely segregated geographically. Every race has their own neighborhood. I think it’s dope for the music scene because there are so many sounds that come from that. I don’t really know if that’s a positive though, but because we are so segregated and people have their own neighborhoods you have sounds that are very specific to that area. It speaks for that neighborhood or that group of people. There is a different sound for people that come from the East-side versus the West-side or the low-end or the suburbs.

When you have artists like Chief Keef who blew up from YouTube, how relevant are festivals such as CMJ?
It’s super important. You are putting yourself in front of music lovers. Those are the people that you need as fans. A lot of videos from YouTube get passed around but that doesn’t make the people who watch the videos fans. All of them aren’t people that buy merchandise or buy albums. When you are at these festivals those are the people that actually feel something for the music. If you connect with those people they will always come back.

I Ain’t Word by chancetherapper

This is your first time performing at CMJ. What do you have planned for your show?
Absolutely nothing [laughs]. I haven’t figured it out yet. In my shows I do a lot of jumping. I don’t really do hype men. It’s usually just me and a DJ and a lot of crowd interaction.

What in your career would have to happen for you to consider yourself successful?
600 million and one dollars, one dollar more than Jay-Z. Naw, I’ve always wanted to play SNL and get a bunch of Grammy’s and perform at the Grammy’s. I want to write for some critical ass artist too. I’m a really big fan of Frank Ocean. I would love to write for him. I’d love to work with James Taylor and Peter Gabriel.

Chance the Rapper plays the Cinematic/XXL showcase at S.O.B.’s on Thursday, October 18.

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Clark Airlines (Chicago, IL)

Taleah Griffin — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:30:11 +0000

Chicago has been under a musical microscope lately, being heavily criticized for what’s known as drill music. With its lyrics about guns, gangs and drugs, some view it as nothing more than rap music that provokes drugs and murder.

If drill music is what is defining the Chicago hip-hop scene right now then Clark Airlines is the anti-Chicago rapper. More focused on being a rapping Evel Knievel than shooting up his enemies in a gun fight, his sound is vibrant and breathes life into a culture that is dying from nursery school beats and childlike one-liners.

Refusing to fall in line and compromise his artistry, Clark Airlines records his music in the studio he built with his late father and proves that the Chicago hip-hop scene is still as diverse as the city.

When did you first begin rapping?
I started low-key when I was like 4, but I’ve been rapping seriously since like ’07. I started off making beats—that’s what people don’t know. Then I was like, I’m about to try and rap on these joints, and I started kicking some funky flows, and I liked how it sounded.

It definitely was like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” It started off like opposite toposite—I was just making up words. It got serious when I linked up with my Nigerian buddy Goozy. That’s when I knew I could do this. He brought this different sound to rap. Goozy is like a Nigerian Nate Dogg. This year, when I dropped my first tape, Between The Lines, March 25, Fake Shore [Drive] picked it up, and from there everybody has been somewhat grabbing everything I’ve been putting out.

You started rapping on ’07, but it took you until 2012 to put out your first mixtape. Why is that?
I was more so doing the group thing. I’m more solo now. That’s what took me so long. We was rapping—me, Goozy, Dell—then we started adding people, but you know, it didn’t work out as well as I’d planned, so I ended up doing the solo thing. I’m pretty much still rocking with Goozy though.

What was the name of the band?
The Come Up. TCU started off because I shot a movie when I was younger, when I was like 12. It was a porn. [Laughs] Naw, it wasn’t porn. It was just a regular movie. Remember the 50 Cent movie Get Rich Or Die Tryin’? That’s where I got my idea from. I was going to base my life off of his movie, and I’ve been sticking with that name [TCU] ever since. I was in high school, not 12. My bad. I was like 14 or 15. Man, and around that time Eminem inspired my rap career. After watching 8 Mile I got real motivated.

In the “Sippin’ While Whippin’” video you are out on top of a car while driving down Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive expressway. Lake Shore Drive is nothing to play with. What provokes you to do some of these daring stunts?
People have ADD nowadays, so I didn’t want to put a video out with me just like rapping with my shirt off with a whole bunch of dudes in the kitchen cooking chicken. So I was like, man, let me do something that’s going to make them say, “I need to watch the rest of this video because cuz is on top of a car.” And if you watch the end I jump over three cars. I got like springs in my legs. It’s crazy, man. That’s why this name is Clark Airlines. I just be flying.

Have you ever endured any injuries from the stunts?
Yeah, that jumping over the cars—that really hurt. I dented the roof of the car and everything. It was Goozy’s car. He let me borrow it, he was asleep, so he really didn’t know. If you look closely, he’s in one of the cars I jumped over. He’s asleep so he didn’t even pay attention. I fixed the roof right before he woke up.

You have a song called “My Ex Sallie Mae.” Who is that?
I broke up with her because I couldn’t pay her back. She’s not too happy with me at all. We just got off the phone with each other. She still calls me. I got two years in at the Art Institute Of Chicago studying media arts and animation. The whole Pixar, 3-D animation thing is what I was going for, but I started getting into music and film around that time. I tried to change my major actually, and they were like “No, you have to start over.” I wasn’t started over, bring them credits over. They wouldn’t do it, so…

There is this emergence of rappers that produce, such as Big K.R.I.T and J. Cole, then there are producers that rap, such as Hit Boy. How did you decide which one you would put in the forefront?
When I was doing the beats—and no one would ever hear my beats unless you break into my computer. When I was doing the beats I was like, “This shit is hard.” I was down in the studio for like three days making one beat. It takes up too much time, so I’m like, “Which one can I get done quicker?” And it was rapping. And [producing] is not something I love doing. If you love it you’re going to figure it out and do it. A lot of people think I still do beats, but I stopped. I just know how to pick a good beat.

What is the music scene like in Chicago?
It’s rough. The drill music is taking over right now. It’s Chief Keef type of music. They call it drill music. It’s cool. It has its ups and downs. I feel like with drill music, you got people that don’t do drill music doing it. Don’t do something that ain’t you. I like to innovate, so when everybody is doing this I’m like, “What is everybody not doing?” I call it high life music. It actually comes from Nigeria. It’s called high life music over there, but I infused it with rap and hip-hop, so I call it hip-hop high life music.

Chicago gets a bad rap (no pun intended) for its artists not supporting one another. Have you experienced that?
Yeah, I started off working with a lot of people that are somewhat buzzing right now, and now they are giving me this cold shoulder. I’ve never been that type of person. I’m always trying to unify everything, but I was told I need to be more selfish, and now I see why especially out here. You gotta just do you. You can’t work with everybody because everybody ain’t for you—they are all for themselves.

They hit me with jam a couple times, and I was like, “What?” I don’t lash out like I could. And don’t get me wrong: A lot of these cats I’m 40-billion-times better than, and they still hit me with the move about not being able to do features or on some concert shit. But with every downfall there is always a greater blessing.

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Everything’s Coming Up ‘Lollipops’

Taleah Griffin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:30:54 +0000

If VV Brown were a rapper, people would say she is “grinding.” The U.K. songstress is busy creating an online vintage shop, prepping for her sophomore album due out in February and performing around the world.

A divine multi-tasker, she took time to chat with us while cooking some spaghetti. Here’s what she had to say:

CMJ: After being offered several record deals before, what made you finally decide to sign with Capitol?
VV Brown: I thought they were really iconic. I like the artists on their roster, and I just had a really good feel about them and enjoyed working with the people. The timing also had a lot to do with it. I was already signed to Europe with Travelling Like The Light, and we were exploring other offers in America. Capitol Records came in with an offer, and it was just perfect.

You got the American record deal, and then you hit American television. Your first appearance was on the Rachael Ray Show. What was that first experience like for you?
It was amazing. I was really nervous. I never performed on American TV before, and the stigma with performing in America is just huge especially because I’m from England and it’s such a small country. She made us feel really welcomed and fed us delicious brownies.

About a month ago CMJ got the chance to see you at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. You weren’t wearing any shoes—is that pretty standard for you?
I never wear shoes when I perform. I like to feel really free. I like to have less distractions from the music. Laughs

During that performance you announced that it was your first time performing any songs from your new album, Lollipops And Politics. What made you choose New York as the first place to preview it?
I think New York is the hardest crowd in America; one, because they seem real and, two, because they seem quite European in the sense that their decision making about creative stuff is quite harsh. I also love New York and the vibe. It always feels like home. Brooklyn also has a really great creative environment. It was a great way to start and test the tour. Why not start in New York where they are going to keep it real?

At that same show, you mentioned that “Like Fire” was the first song you produced.
On the album I played all the instruments on it. It meant so much to me and still does. It’s kind of a window into a really deep part of me and where I am as an artist.

Is it the same beat from Usher’s“There Goes My Baby”? Did you produce that song as well?
I did hear about this about the melody being similar. Hums “There Goes My Baby.” It’s difficult, but, no, I didn’t intend to do it. Maybe my subconscious did. I hope he doesn’t sue me.

Do you maintain your own Twitter?
I do. I don’t tweet as much as I should, but I do have a Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. I tend to be quite emotional, so if something upsets me I take it to Twitter, which is really quite dangerous. Social media is a great way to promote your music, but it is creating a weird thing where people are being really, really open about everything. I find it a bit weird.

Lollipops And Politics drops early February. Is your excitement level through the roof?
I’m just cool. It will be what it will be. I think I will be more excited when we go back on tour. But I am excited that people will be able to hear it all. But I’m cool. I’m just going to watch. I’m going to sit in the middle and just be cool.

Final question. Can you tell us a bit about the vintage store you are opening?
VV Vintage is launching online at the end of January. I’m very excited about this project. We are selling vintage clothing, and we want people to know that it just isn’t another vintage shop. We work with young designers that come straight out of art school, and we take vintage clothing and turn it into these amazing pieces. It’s in the price range of like an Asos. I would love for people to look out for it in January.

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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Talks Upcoming Projects

Taleah Griffin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:00:51 +0000

While recently out in London, KillerHipHop.com caught up with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and got the scoop from the Cleveland band about its upcoming projects and a highly anticipated anniversary album.

During the interview Krayzie Bone confirmed that Fixtape: Vol. 5 Injection will be released next year either late summer or early fall. He also spoke a little a bit about all five band members collaborating on a 20th anniversary project. This comes as excellent news since earlier this year he and Wish Bone officially left the group to concentrate on solo careers. Hopefully a Bone Thugs tour will take place somewhere down the line as well.

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Mannie Fresh Talks Music, Motivation At Red Bull Academy

Taleah Griffin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:58:49 +0000

Red Bull Academy sat down with producer Mannie Fresh for a two-hour lecture. The Louisiana native discussed several topics including growing up in the musically inclined culture of New Orleans and what it means to be a producer today.

In the interview, Mannie Fresh explained the first time he was introduced to the music that would change his life—hip-hop:

“Kind of like my real introduction to music was when ‘Planet Rock’ came out and my dad had the song and we was just sitting around and he played. I remember this like it was yesterday, I said, ‘Oh shit’…I was like, ‘This is hip-hop right here.’”

Check out the full interview and video below.

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Stepkids Reveals New Video And Announces Tour

Taleah Griffin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:30:33 +0000

On Monday night the Stepkids premiered its new animated video for the song “Suburban Dream.” The band received excellent reviews at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon and will soon be taking the same energy, funky beats and eclectic sound on the road for a series of tour dates overseas with some U.S. dates peeking in as well—it’s only two, so you may have to look closely.

The trio’s self-titled debut album is out now on Stones Throw and demonstrates the band’s genre-blending style. Combining elements of soul, funk and folk music, a Stepkids show will have something for everyone.

Tour Dates For Stepkids:
11/24 – Paris, FR – Le Petit Bain
11/26 – Toulon, FR – Midi Festival
11/29 – London, UK – Old Blue Last
11/30 – London, UK – Notting Hill Arts Club
12/03 – Cologne, DE – Weekend Festival
12/06 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
12/07 – Porto, PT – Plano B
12/08 – Lisboa, PT – Music Box
12/23 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
01/14 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
01/25 – Perth, AU – The Bakery
01/27 – Sydney, AU – Sydney Festival At Keystone Festival Bar
01/28 – Melbourne, AU – East Brunswick Club

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Warp Signs My Best Fiend

Taleah Griffin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:30:09 +0000

Warp has just signed My Best Fiend—no, not the mortal enemy I’ve known since birth but the five-piece band from Brooklyn. To commemorate the occasion, Warp is giving away a free mp3 of the band’s single “Higher Palms.” The single will also be available as a 7” on January 23 and 24—a little late holiday gift perhaps?

Can’t wait? The band’s show at Shea Stadium is an awesome and timely present. Catch a live performance of the mellow “Higher Palms” on December 15.

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Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five Makes Hip-Hop History

Taleah Griffin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:00:49 +0000

Yesterday it was announced that Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five’s single “The Message” would be the inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame. In order for a song to even be considered for induction it must be at least 25 years old; this will be the first hip-hop recording to receive the honor.

According to AllHipHop.com, Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy, states: “The Recording Academy is dedicated to celebrating a wide variety of great music and sound through the decades. We are especially honored to welcome this year’s selection of some of the most influential recordings of the last century. Marked by both cultural and historical significance, these works truly have influenced and inspired audiences for generations, and we are thrilled to induct them into our growing catalog of outstanding recordings.”

The single was also the the title of Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five’s debut album in 1982. This is not the first time the crew has made history: In 2007 Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five became the first hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Peep the video for “The Message” above.

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GZA Takes Harvard

Taleah Griffin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:08 +0000

Harvard students will be getting an early holiday present this year as GZA, member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, will hold an open-to-the-public lecture at the school December 1 at 4 p.m. GZA was instrumental in the founding of the Clan and will speak to students about his amazing journey as an artist and longevity in the music business. The lecture is hosted by the Harvard’s Black Men’s Forum and will conclude with a Q&A. The Genius is also slated to be releasing another LP next year through Babygrande.

According to a press release, GZA will also visit the MIT Media Lab and the Broad Institute to mingle “with some of the greatest thinkers in their fields to get inspiration for his forthcoming album.” We are sure they will be just as inspired by him.

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Action Bronson Debuts New Video For “Not Enough Words”

Taleah Griffin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:00:35 +0000

Action Bronson has released the visual for his single “Not Enough Words,” which will appear on his upcoming album with Statik Selektah, Well Done (DCide). The album drops tomorrow, but it is available for pre-sale here. The 15-track compilation will be his second full-length album this year.

The video, directed by Tom Gould and Alexander Richter, shows Bronson rapping while smoking blunts and making moves so to speak. Peep the mayhem above.

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Elle Varner @ S.O.B.’s: November 14

Taleah Griffin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:54:39 +0000

“That was an all-timer. Here we go 10 years later with a new all-timer. Ya’ll are going to remember this night.” These were the words of Jeff Robinson, CEO of MBK Entertainment, before he welcomed Elle Varner to the stage last night at S.O.B.’s. Yes, the “only wanna give it to you” girl was the reason we all were there. Prior to Robinson’s foreshadowing introduction, a few other notable things occurred. Nola Darling, CJ Hilton and Shyvonne all took the stage respectively, before Jasmine Solano kicked a rap over the Ying Yang Twins‘ “Blow The Whistle” and an usually long band setup went under way.

Tons of women and quite a few men had arrived at the venue at 7:30 p.m. when doors opened in hopes of getting a good spot to watch Varner, an L.A. native, perform songs from her debut album, Perfectly Imperfect. It was only after her band assembled that DJ Solano stopped spinning and Robinson took the stage. He shared the story of how he discovered Alicia Keys in New York City and cultivated her career into the powerhouse it is today. Ten years later he was using a similar formula, grooming Varner for a successful career as a captivating artist. He informed the audience members that this would be a night they would all remember. And his confidence was matched by Varner’s talent.

At 10:45 p.m., an adorable curly-haired girl made her way to the stage decked out in a yellow-and-black dress with black spots, black leggings, a yellow necklace, charm bracelet and one yellow ring on each hand. Her quirky New York style would prove to be as vibrant as her personality. She opened her set with “So Fly,” a song about a woman struggling with common body issues, such as cellulite and an average bra size, who eventually realizes that she is beautiful just as she is. Varner continued to take the audience along a road map of each song, explaining the inspiration for each one and personalizing the moment by always staying in connection with the crowd. There was never a moment where she did not feel like she could be your friend or girlfriend.

Surprisingly, she even has a nice flow. She rapped on two songs during her seven-song set. The first one, a track about Robinson flying her and her girls to Miami and letting her borrow his car, which ended up spending the night at the club because she was too drunk from a night of partying to drive it back home. And the second one harbored little singing at all as she rapped alongside a beat boxer. Before leaving the stage she performed her single, “Only Wanna Give It To You,” and, per fans’ request, closed out the night with “Refill” and sang the shit out of it.

By the time the show ended everyone in the room knew that Robinson had told no lies. It was definitely a night that all of those in attendance would remember. Varner clearly has more than potential; she has the kind of infectious persona that makes you say “That was awesome. Let me stick around for more.” She was comfortable and most importantly seemed to be having fun the entire time. It is easy to tell that her jazz-fueled vocals and craftiness as a songwriter are just what R&B has been lacking. Elle Varner has come to resuscitate the game.

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CMJ 2011 Breakout Artist Gary Clark Jr. Announces Tour Dates

Taleah Griffin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:00:02 +0000

Photo by Todd W

Gary Clark Jr. is no stranger to creating electrifying soul music, however, the attention that comes with having such a talent may take some getting used to. Not even a month ago, the Austin, TX, native captivated the media and gained new fans at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon with his multidimensional live show combining his soothing voice and riveting guitar playing.

The Warner Bros signee released his first EP with the label, Bright Lights, on August 9 and has not slowed down since. He has taken his melodic gumbo style of music, combining rock, hip-hop, blues and soul, to festivals such as Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival and Bonnaroo Music Festival. Now, Clark will be taking his critically acclaimed live show on a mini-tour of the East Coast starting December 12, with a special performance on David Letterman thrown in the mix as well.

If you have not already, peep the official video for his single “Bright Lights” and footage from one of his live shows at CMJ this year, both posted below the tour dates.

Tour Dates For Gary Clark Jr.:
12/12 – Boston, MA – TT The Bears
12/13 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
12/14 – TBA
12/16 – David Letterman
12/16 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe “Free At Noon” Live
12/17 – Washington, DC – Red Palace

The post CMJ 2011 Breakout Artist Gary Clark Jr. Announces Tour Dates appeared first on CMJ.

Hip-Hop Trend: Fat Not Phat, Thin Is In

Taleah Griffin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:00:22 +0000

No more of these. Photo by Ben Stephenson

The next time you hear a rapper talk about weight on the scale, it may be for a Jenny Craig commercial. Some of rap’s noteworthy MCs have begun reevaluating their lives and losing significant pounds as a result. Last year, Paul Wall made headlines when he dropped 100 pounds by using the gastric sleeve, and earlier this year, rapper Fat Joe wasn’t quite as fat anymore when he appeared in his “Drop A Body” music video after losing 88 pounds. Could thin be the new trend for men in a culture that historically has only placed body image standards on women?

Rapper Big Pooh, who recently lost 30 pounds, told CMJ that he doesn’t think thin is the new trend with rappers—rather they are simply becoming more health-conscious. He, along with his co-manager and Grammy award-winning producer Focus, have joined forces to participate in the Hood Biggest Loser challenge. Big Dho got the idea for the challenge after g-chatting with Focus about various health concerns. The challenge is seen as a motivational tool to encourage larger men in urban settings to join the discussion about healthier living options while offering them a monetary incentive to physically shed excess pounds.

To enter the challenge, participants would need to provide a current photo in gym clothes, measurements, weight (with a picture of the scale for all those who have delusions about their weight), an entry fee (yet to be announced) and a brief blog explaining why you want to enter the challenge.

Big Pooh acknowledges that all rappers have a “certain level of conceit.” He said, “Usually that conceit allows us to not pay attention to how others feel about us. But I think everyone is starting to become more health conscious.” He explained to CMJ that losing the weight was not solely for health reasons, however, it also had to do with his self-esteem. “The initial 30 pounds was all about how I felt I looked,” he said. “I felt terrible.” This is not the first time a rapper has admitted that his physical appearance took a toll on him mentally. Last year when Ozone Magazine interviewed Paul Wall, he admitted that “when you’re so big like that, it’s embarrassing,” saying that he felt “uncomfortable”.

Several rappers have built an image around being hefty; everyone from Rick Ross to the late Notorious B.I.G and the late Heavy D have capitalized on being an unlikely sex symbol. And while the goal may not be to get skinny—seriously, how silly would Ross look weighing a buck five?—perhaps some will simply become more conscious of their eating habits and attempt to be healthier. Will the future of hip-hop be full of yoga attending, vegan practicing MCs? Probably not, but we may see more hummus added to the “required” list in dressing rooms.

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