Myk Fevah, an ’80s baby, was born in Hartford’s North End, where poverty, drugs and violence have become apart of everyday life. Instead of succumbing to the negativity around him, he found solace in something his older brother introduced him to in 1988 — hip-hop. Four years after being exposed to hip-hop, Fevah felt equipped with enough knowledge of the art form to begin crafting his own rhymes. He honed his skills and took any opportunity he could to showcase his abilities. Over the years his hunger and talent have caught the attention of local labels that Fevah temporarily called home. Eventually the labels closed up shop, but Myk Fevah was just warming up. We here at CTHipHop.net were able to up with the father, full time worker, student and husband, to pick his brain on the current state of Hip Hop and the game has changed for the indie artist.

Jack Nickelz: What is your view on the current state of Hip Hop?

Myk Fevah: The current state of CT hip-hop is a difficult question to answer. We, as artists have to figure out who we are first. There’s too many “rappers” that sound like what you hear in the streets or on the radio. The reason I said rappers, rather than artists is because rappers paint the same picture where as an artists, encompasses that picture and elaborate on it to make it something different. So the current state of CT hip hop is in limbo until artists find their own lane.

Jack Nickelz: How hard is it to hold down a state that is seen as being in NYC’s shadow?

Myk Fevah: In regards to the NY shadow, I don’t think we are in their shadow as we once were. I have performed in NY and get love there like I was there all my life. I think we have shown NY talent scouts that you can stop thru CT and hear good music on your way to Boston. But to fully be out of the NY shadow, we have to create our own cloud and be able to work with each other ~conquer and destroy…. as a ONE!!!

Jack Nickelz: How do you feel about doing collabs?

Myk Fevah: Doing collabs here is like going to the club trying to dance with a female…. people stick to who they know and will not give you a shot unless your name is got a buzz to it. The problem is doing collabs is simple, everybody thinks they that next big deal when a lot of times, they sound like the people that cosign them. A real artist will look at that as a turn off and a hungry artist will consider that beef because at the end of the day…nobody is signed…nobody has the “Wu-Tang theory” anymore!

Jack Nickelz: How hard is it to balance your career, work and your homelife?

Myk Fevah: Man, I ain’t gon lie, its difficult. I gotta pay them bills and make sure my household is straight, so I write my verses and/or songs during lunch…lol. As for the motorcycle club, it’s also an outlet but the main focus be the club so music is secondary. I try to get into a studio at least twice a month. I have been sitting on so many material because I have to make sure my house is straight, it grows frustrating to hear the music industry and local artists are putting out….Real Talk!

Jack Nickelz: What are some of the mistakes you see artist make when it comes o performing now a days?

Myk Fevah: Whoo…the mistakes artist make… where do I start….lmao….Nah, the one mistake I see at the shows is the artist try to play for the crowd solely. I feel you should make music you love and if you are performing what you love, don’t look to the crowd for approval. If they feeling you, they are….if not, this is your art….remember they didn’t understand Picasso either.

Jack Nickelz: What are the mistakes that you have seen promoters make?

Myk Fevah: Promoters….and their fucking favoritism. I have been to plenty shows where the promoter is the host and they introduce one artist one way and then their favorite artist a totally different way. That shit makes me so fucking mad. **PROMOTERS promote with an unbiased eye please, more artists will come your events if they feel they will be judged fairly**. Another mistake I’ve seen is the promoters don’t promote hard as back in the day. I remember an open mic used to have posters around the city, making you wanna go…now they may contact you if they have your number or you might have stumbled upon the show last minute.

Jack Nickelz: Do you think it’s hard to get a fair shake from judges when you perform?

Myk Fevah: A fair shake….at what!!! If you have judges who are stuck to one mode of music then add in crowd participation…. what is a fair shake. Judges need to use a scoring rubric during the competitions. I’ve been to shows where an artist won the competition because he scored well…his song was not the hottest but he had a total package performance. But I have also been to shows where niggas have no stage presence but a 100 of their peoples in the crowd and because of that they won…Artists will get a fair shake when people start respecting lyricism and lyrics and the lyricist and not that everybody sold 80 bricks on Tuesday, shot niggas on Thursday and went to church on Friday with da diamond flooded Jesus piece!!!

Jack Nickelz: How hard is it to find good and affordable recording studios now a days?

Myk Fevah: I’m so sick of studios…people want to charge outrageous prices for time and then wanna not be available a lot of times. It’s very difficult to find a studio, let alone one that understands my work ethic. Studios get people because….well I ain’t gonna tell my secret but know that if I do hit a studio, I don’t get charged the full rate…

Jack Nickelz: How can you tell which showcases are the ones you must perform at?

Myk Fevah: As far as showcases, every showcase is a gamble. I figured out the ones that people say are poppin , don’t be and the hole in the wall, be the ones that gave me the most exposure. But I’ll tell anybody, do a $200 showcase with my girl, A.D. Da General out of NY…then go back to your local showcases and see the difference…from artist to promoters to the atmosphere for an artist period…

Jack Nickelz: Anything else you may want to say to the fans and readers?

Myk Fevah: Thank you for having me for the interview… be on look out for The Blk Mamba 2 street album this summer…To my artist…*ONCE WE COME TOGETHER AS A CT UNIT…WE WONT BE STOPPED….but SEPARATED WILL BE IN THE SAME PLACE WE’RE AT NOW!!!

When I came up in the game,hip hop was very raw and uncut. Freestyles, cyphas and basement show were the norm. So when I found out that I would be able to have a flashback style taste of that, I had to come to my home girl, Dina Brass’ birthday bash slash charity event “Food Not Bombs”. As I stepped down the old wooden stairs into the dungeon of sorts, I felt like I was 16 again being asked to spit a verse at a party.

The vibe was so old school. The textures and the sounds looking like something out of an old Hip Hop film. It set the tone and mood for what would be a very organic Hip Hop event that would keep your focus for the whole night. Nothing pretty…just ugly…ugly and in your face. But when you combined it with the music and the energy it became a masterpiece.

A few sound checks later and my good friend, Kyle Young begin to weave sounds through the speakers.I almost felt a calm nervousness float through the artists as we revisited the raw atmosphere of basement bashes. As people made through way down the stairs, you could smell the krylon in The air. The walls filled with various tags and statements of artistic skill and mind state. The area was small…but as the tunes of Tribe called Quest filled my ear, I feel at home.

The cold brick, steel and wood become warm with a feel of hip hop. The lights, a combined effect of old Christmas lights and regular slightly dim bulbs set the mood. Now old school Outkast get the growing into a state of head nod as we wait to get things started.i stare at the old wooden stage covered with a old mat and remembered when this was all that we needed to feel like stars. No green room or elaborate stage shows. No champagne or expensive bottles, just some twist cap bottles that will fill tour lungs up with that harsh barley taste.

I look out at the assorted crowd that’s has been brought together. An assorted cast of race and shades only concerned with having a good time. Each person adding a bit of their energy to the excitement of the night. people mingled and made introductions, old and new. I listened into conversations and stories about how this person was met or what about Hip Hop brought that person to the event.

The lady of the night, Dina Brass, is dressed in a mix if neon pink and green. A modest mix compared to her live out loud stage performance style. Dina jumps on stage to warm up and entertain the crowd. With a mix of charisma and comedy she holds everyone’s attention. Dina flowed between thanking people for coming, impromptu freestyles and over all checking to make sure the mood was right. She informed people that the canned goods they brought and the donations that they made would be given to a good cause(Who says Hip Hop can’t be positive).

Our neighbor to the North (Massachusetts, not Canada.) Bishop has been putting some work in with CT artists such as Big Stat. Check the song below, as it’s absolutely worth a listen.

 

 

One of the best to ever do it, RA The Rugged Man, at it again with a joint produced by Apathy. The video is INCREDIBLE! RA has new material dropping on the 30th. If it is anything like his other releases, it is going to be in the running for release of the year.

I’m wondering if we can get RA to come back to Sully’s to smash it again? I’ve seen him perform three times… each one more memorable than the last. WIth his recent work with the Demigodz, I don’t see why this couldn’t go down.

Check the video below of RA destroying the mic at Sully’s acapella… we need to get him back there soon.

Check out his website for more info on RA…

At the 2013 Trinity International Hip Hop Festival, I had a chance to check out the Musicology 101 : Producer Showcase. I was there to check out a producer from Boston, Mass by the name of HiFadility. After watching him wow the crowd with his unique sound, we had a chance to sit down and chat a little bit. I hope you enjoy.

Hip Hop has always been on the forefront when talking about injustice or violence. From young black men getting gunned down in the streets to the Sandy Hook tragedy. So when I woke up this morning and saw the news, I decided that as a member of the Hip Hop community, that I should address what happened. To quote what I wrote on my facebook timeline…

“Let me explain a very simple point. When you attack innocent people. You don’t send a message. You don’t make a point. You don’t farther your cause. All you do is kill and bring death. no media spin, no special reasons, you’re just a killer. A monster and someone who deserves the pain that they cause. A baby knows that if no one hears you…you scream louder. The kids in my school program know that. You want attention, you call TV companies, you stage protests. Hell, the Walls of Jericho came down because of sound…no violence involved. Once you start attacking innocent people, you become the evil you claim to be fighting against.”

I’m far from activist, I’m far from a protester or a marcher for the righteous cause. I’m a father of a 14 year old boy. A teacher for the grades K through 5. I’m a son, a brother, a uncle, a cousin and a nephew. I am a person who gets his love by making music. A person who expresses themselves through this amazing platform known as Hip Hop. I know that no matter what we may think or say, War is apart of life…as is death. But unexpected death…undeserved death disgusts me. People love to blame other mediums and say they are the cause of violence. But we all know that violence has been around since the start of man. We are…at our core violent creatures.

But that never…NEVER justifies the events that happen today and those like it. You can’t tell me the little child, that is watching someone in his family run, deserved to be apart of this. Or the old lady who just wanted to cheer on her son, had this coming. A soldier…fine…a soldier is trained for war. They are trained for battle. But an old man that trained a few months just to cross the race off his bucket list, didn’t.

It shouldn’t matter who did this. What should matter is the fact that is was done. That innocent people where seen as nothing more then numbers of expected casualties. That we have come so far in this world that now everyone is seen as a target. If this is what we have become…then I pray that for our future generation that a change is made.

 

At the 2013 Trinity International Hip Hop Festival, I had a chance to check out the Musicology 101 : Producer Showcase. I was there to check out a producer from Boston, Mass by the name of HiFadility. After watching him wow the crowd with his unique sound, we had a chance to sit down and chat a little bit. I hope you enjoy.

For those who don’t know Kyle Young, you should correct that mistake. Among having emcee and producer in his skill set, Kyle has mastered the art of recording visuals. From doing his own video work to working with Rockoleone and Jack Nickelz on their “Random Propaganda” video…which by the way you can see on YouTube or here on CTHipHop( Shameless Self Promotion ). But the reason I’ve contacted Kyle this time around is because he has presented unique ideas when it has come to self branding and separating yourself from the same ol’ same ol’ you see in the game now. so I decided to sit down with the man in question and pick his brain on how to properly brand yourself and how to stay original in a game where everyone seems to be a copy of a copy.

Jack Nickelz: First off let me ask you, how important is it for an artist to stay original with their product now a days?

Kyle Young: I think it’s very important. You definitely want to stand out. I feel like I have that naturally because I think of almost everything in a different way. Sometimes it’s a double-edged sword though. Sometimes people don’t accept things that they don’t really understand, so they call it “whack” or whatever, but you know you’re doing something right if other people give you props for being different. Just be GOOD at what you do, but that’s the easiest part.

Jack Nickelz: Now while we are talking about keeping your product original, what made you want to do the interactive mixtape on YouTube?

Kyle Young: I really don’t know. It just came to me one day I guess. There are these interactive movies and videos on YouTube, so I figured why not do something different for my “Peanut Butter & Mushrooms” (PBM) mixtape.  I’m always trying to take it to the next level, and my graphic design and film/video background really came into play. The shit took me like 2 years to finish. I’m sure ganja had a little to do with it too lol.

Jack Nickelz: Now besides the mixtape, I know that you were dipping into the world of mobile games. Could you tell us a little about that?

Kyle Young: Yeah, have a friend [Keith Wilson] that’s a programmer and game maker. He started making games, showed me some and I got intrigued. I asked if he could make a Super Mario type game based off my PBM Mixtape mascot. He said he could, and Super Kyle was born (Available in Google Play Store / Android Market). The funny thing is I don’t even really play games, but what rapper doesn’t want to be a game character. I think I’m the second since Shaq in Shaq Fu. The next step for Super Kyle is a 3D version. Look out soon.

Jack Nickelz: Your brand and sound are very different then what you normally hear from artist in our area. Why haven’t you fallen into the formula of copying what is working now?

Kyle Young: Honestly, I think I’m just weird lol. I started rapping and loving boombap in like 2003, so I stuck with that “old school” flow for a while. I’ve never really been into the swag thing or mainstream. I just do me. I think living in California for 5 years also opened my mind and options as well.  It’s funny you said copying the formula now. I feel like now I try to fit into that mainstream category more than I ever have. I find even when I try it still ends up sounding “different”. I think since I make most of my own beats that gives me a signature sound and style. I strive for radio and I know there’s a certain formula, but good is good.

Jack Nickelz: Now as I know from personal experience, you are also in the field of producing music videos, virtually making you a jack of all trades. Do you feel that you maybe stretching yourself thin working all this forms of multimedia?

Kyle Young: Good question. At times I feel that way. Mostly when I rap over someone else’s beat do I realize that. When I’m not worried about if my beat is hot, it gives me more time to fine-tune my lyrics. Same goes for if some one is producing a video for me, my on-screen performance will be that much better. With only 24 hours in a day, sometimes you just want to get shit done. The only way I get around this is collaborating as much as possible. Another way is to just keep at it, every time I do a project, I get that much better at each skill and I create shortcuts and techniques for the best results. The upside is I have full creative control, which is an artist’s best friend.

Jack Nickelz: And if that isn’t enough you are also overseeing the soundtrack for your father’s movie. How did that come about and how intense is that process?

Kyle Young: Yeah that is another thing. It naturally came about. I’m a producer on the movie…and I make music, so I’m the closest person with the most expertise in that area. This journey is crazy. In this short period of time I’ve learned so much. Mostly the difference between independent and major production. It’s all about contracts and budgets. You’re not going to get a 2 Chainz, or Kendrick Lamar “on the strength” this is how they eat and if you don’t, someone else will put that money in their pocket, so they don’t really have to do anything for you. The people we are connecting with is surreal, because 6 or 7 months ago I would have never imagined this. I’m excited, and I’m steps closer to achieving my dream.

Jack Nickelz: Are there any other unique products we should be looking for?

Kyle Young: Look out “Diamond Ruff” movie and sound track dropping this fall. I also have a new music project I’m working on. Have a lot of new songs for that already done. I think I’ll do a couple more PBM music videos, and definitely have pans for music videos for the next project. I also produced/ shoot videos for other artists. Follow my Twitter and Facebook and I always help to promo those as well.

Jack Nickelz: How hard is it to keep your product from being influenced by other artists and stay refreshing?

Kyle Young: I really don’t even worry about that. I know people see my stuff and are inspired or influenced. I take it as a compliment really, it’s all good. I would be lying if I said I didn’t sample ideas here and there….so watch out lol. As far as refreshing, I just stay in my own lane and don’t worry about others. No one can be Kyle Young except Kyle Young so it’s never an issue. I keep it fresh by staying up with what’s going on in the world, specifically hip hop.  I’m constantly doing research on Google. I love World Star Hip Hop and Media Take Out. Yahoo news is dope too.

Jack Nickelz: What, if any, advice would you have for up and coming artists trying to separate themselves from others in their genre?

Kyle Young: It’s really simple. Don’t try to be “them”… be you. Do what you love, if it sounds like “them” then great, you’ll probably be very successful. But don’t be afraid to be called different, at least you’ll be remembered because you made an impact. Discover who you are, and expose and exaggerate that. People love artists more for their personality then their actual talent. Always push the envelope. See what others are doing and do the opposite. Just execute it well, no one likes bad music.

Jack Nickelz: As we wrap this up, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

Kyle Young: Add me on my social networks… Google search: yrdigirec. Artists, I’m always down to collab. Open your mind, broaden your horizons and don’t be afraid. If you feel like giving up and it’s not working, just keep going, opportunities randomly present themselves. You never want to look back like “damn, if I would have kept at it…” I’ve gotten a lot of rejection, but a lot more love, so that’s motivation enough. Do it for the love of the art, and your passion will shine. Peace. Stay Up!

Demigodz — Killmatic — Album Review

I was going to write this long, protracted blog about how dope the record is. I was impressed and surprised with it. Came out dope. Instead of inundating you with shit to read, this dude basically hit all the points (starting 3 Minutes in) and he doesn’t say anything that I wouldn’t have.

 

Buy a fuckin’ copy:

http://demigodzstore.bigcartel.com/category/cds

This is a regular fixture for New Haven, and never a letdown. Anyone who’s interested should get on this! Righteousness Gone album comes out with it, too, and I’ll have a review for you guys tomorrow PM!

“Connecticut emcees, ILLUS and APATHY join forces to create a True-School HipHop anthem that combines hard-hitting, Boom-Bap production (by APATHY) with their signature lyrical fire that illustrates their love, passion, and dedication for the art and culture as well as their gift and ability to write powerful songs with substance, heart and soul. The Legendary DJ JOHNNY JUICE from PUBLIC ENEMY lays down the scratches making it very clear that these talented emcees will be here “Forever”. Play this loud!”

Written and performed by ILLUS @AdamWallenta and APATHY @ApathyDGZ
Produced and Mixed by APATHY
Scratches by and Co-Produced by DJ JOHNNY JUICE @johnnyjuice

New ILLUS album- “FAMILY FIRST” available on iTunes now(http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fami…) and everywhere music is sold!

Order an autographed CD of “FAMILY FIRST” directly from ILLUS at http://www.americanmule.com/shop

Follow ILLUS on Twitter- @AdamWallenta

Subscribe to www.AdamWallenta.com to win FREE music, art and more!

iTunes- http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ill…

Get autographed limited edition cds at www.americanmule.com/shop

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/IllusMedia and

https://www.facebook.com/IllusFamilyF…

Video by Pete Fatcap