King Sleeps feat. Chiefo Da Leo & NYMI - Nigga Wussup [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

"SOUR & MOSCATO" FRANCHISE LIAISON FT H.K & REMO (ROLL IT UP, POUR IT UP)

Who Shot Cha?.... Sunny Winters Shoots

Sunny Winters has been snapping away diligently. Charmed by life happenings, his career draws closer into realization. A Nikon camera and reflector are his “weapons of choice”. Sunny is an avid traveler who shoots everywhere he touches. Growing up in Brooklyn, he was fortunate to have been motivated by the local yet, internationally known, Jamel Shabazz. “Over the years, he was just Shabazz to me. I have watched him interact with all types of different people in different places and the outcome would always be beautiful,” he said. When I first met Sunny, he looked nothing like his Facebook photos. He had already cut his locks and his bop was so, extra, “Brooklyn goes hard” it didn’t seem like the same down to earth, innovator that I’d anticipated. “I had surgery on my foot a couple of days ago,” he said. So, it turned out to be his limp that I initially took for a bop.

We continued kicking it up Snediker Avenue to a “Brooklyn zooish” background scene. Beautiful green leaves spilled down swaying vines over a lengthy sheet of accordion perforated, stainless steel fence. If it’s gonna represent me, it must represent hip-hop. The graffiti tags decorated the backdrop appropriately to suite ‘theSasAppeal’. The fusion of elements characterized an earthy person from the concrete jungle of New York City and Sunny must have more than an eye, he’s figured me out. “I am spiritual, not religious,” Sunny offered as he shot me wearing my sunglasses. “Should I take these off?” I asked. “No, the sun will blind you,” he said as he called for “Shrimp” to hold the reflector up where he needed it to go. After every twenty shots or so, he would let me look at them on the camera.

Sunny has developed his own globally accessible portfolio. The archives on his websites, theSunnyWinters.tumblr.com and facebook.com/SunnyWintersphotography host a variety of pictures from around the world. Most are edited into black and white images that give off rich antique impressions from the most casual of shots to the most urban. “Photography is my chance to make history,” he said. Making millions is a part of the goal, but the main objective is for Sunny’s stamps to shine on through. Certain places at particular moments in a subject’s existence will serve as a nostalgic delight. From the passing of those very instances to the everlasting settings of sun, there will be a memory to visit and revisit; through the eyes of Sunny Winters. Everyday, he rises to capture our today’s for captivating the future of their tomorrow’s.  

This photo shoot was the first of my anticipated many to come. These images of myself provided me with the evidence that photography is not quite the same as merely taking a picture. The expert quality of these photos distinguishes Sunny a gifted professional. It was comfortable, pressure free and natural. When I saw the same shots that Sunny had taken and shown me on his Nikon, I ran home to review on my computer. As much as I loved the photography, I was disappointed in my clothing selection. Sunny said, “that’s why I prefer to shoot nude, clothes can be such a distraction.” Although, he has sold numerous shots to hip-hop weekly and other media, he exclusively works for McMIREPORT.com. The “collective of life how he sees it”, is sponsored by Sunny Winters. This brand name that he seasons with is said to be the “alter-ego” business part of Taj T. However, when it comes to question his devotion to ambitious creations and wholehearted quality, the photographs speak for themselves. Whether he’s taking pictures of nude women down in New York City subways or of  homeless families on the streets of the “favelas” in Rio de Janiero, he’s concentrating.  

There are two things that Sunny is most critical about when his eye is to the window; light and symmetry. “I think natural light really looks good on our skin,” he says. The subjects are charged somewhere inside the lens where all Sunny’s appeals manifest. He says, “I want someone to look at my pictures and feel fulfilled by the collaborative effort I brought about to capture whatever it was. People can feel when you take what you think other people want you to see.” Aside from Jamel Shabazz’s photography inspiring his talent, generally, people and places are what keep him intrigued. He has a keen appreciation for any differences that can be attributed from all sorts of expression. Image is important to him, and he sees it as “a powerful tool,” as written on his webpage.  He appreciates everything that’s creative. When it comes to other photographers work, Sunny believes that what separates talented professionals from the measly “pic flicker”, is being able to tap into what the person may have been thinking, feeling or seeing when the shot was taken. His philosophy runs deeper.

Sunny’s sister, Nadiah says, “he’s not a Rasta, he’s a hippie. He began growing locks with the birth of his daughter Sa’rai, 9 years ago. In Miami, he had his own catering business and worked as a chef, for 9 years. Ironically, that was when he became a vegetarian in attempts to instill more discipline for growth of mind, body, and spirit. He also has a twelve year old son named Marcell. Koko, his wife is a creative designer who specializes in fashion. As she is working on launching her own clothing line, Sunny helps assist her in every suitable manner. Together, they have traveled to places like Cuba, Mexico and Brazil where Koko assists Sunny with his shoots. “It was a blizzard this Christmas Eve, at like 2 o’clock in the morning when spontaneously the woman called me saying that she was ready. We met at Sterling Street on the 2 line. I was only working with a 3 minute time frame. When the coast was clear she dropped her overcoat and went completely nude; and I started snapping away. Meanwhile, Koko was on the lookout at the top of the subway staircase… We pulled it off,” he said.

Geto Boys- "My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me" Lyrics Sampled

 "I stand alone in my 4 cornered room starring @ candles, listening to gangsta music," Juelz Santana and Prodigy use this verse in their songs without making it come off to sound like just a copy. Sampling lyrics is not a standard procedure such as sampling actual music. Juelz and Prodigy paid homage to Geto Boys when they revived this very first line of this very special song, "My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me". Their different approaches change the essence of  feeling and the sounds are to a new flow. The Geto Boys were on that raw 1991 fresh vibe that maintained a soulful, melodious sensation. Whereas, Juelz flips it for 2003 on the hook of "Dipset Anthem".  Prodigy had his hand on "Mac 10 Handle" in 2006. So then in 2009, the Game brought it back when he said, "I make big money, I drive big cars, everybody know me, it's like I'm a movie star," from the first line in the second verse.
There's no song like this in hip-hop history. It's break down is a precise story. Scarface probably wrote the whole sh!t, he's a ill storyteller. The song lyrics have been sampled time and time again.....

Don Domini - DIMELO MANIN Watch 'VIDEO" Directed by George P. and NMI Films

SHOUT OUT TO CORONA, QUEENS_ JUNCTION, DR, ALL STAR PLAYERS , CHOLADOS N CHIMI TRUCKS ............... SoHK!!!!

Glasses Malone - Eastsidin Official Video 2011

The Notorious B.I.G.'s Everyday Struggle sample of Brethren's Outside Love | WhoSampled

The Notorious B.I.G.'s Everyday Struggle sample of Brethren's Outside Love WhoSampled

Flowetic Justice

HK ‘Da Steamer’ a.k.a. Harold Kennedy is blazing holy sh!t for the streets, anticipating “2012 will be summertime all year for ‘East Coast’ and ‘Crosstown Mob’ movements. “I came in shining,” he said. Just in time for the summer, he was born on June 26^th.

He’s another scorching sun from the streets of Flatbush, Brooklyn with an unforeseen prose. His parents afforded him an enlightened foundation that invited a passion for poetry. "My father played the saxophone and loved Langston Hughes. I love Maya Angelou," he said. HK would sit down and meditate while writing to saxophonist, John Coltrane. "I've really been into poetry since a little kid."

His rhyme flows back to the Biggie era; when BK started to flourish in the game of hip-hop and where his crafts of storytelling and spitting fire started to unfold. “Of the old greats, I was a fan of Slick Rick,” said HK.  Storytelling has always been his thing.

According to their music, he's the “parana in the pond”. Growing up in the ol’ school he’s been shy. Today his alter-ego' word-play is transforming him all over the mic- track to track. He’s says, “I be zonin' when I write now, because you stay the same, They gonna recognize how you might sound,” in his song 'East Coast'.  Until you feel his message it's gonna be hard to recognize his voice.

On the mic his dynamic voices morph creative whirlpools of righteous stories channeled via captivating flows.  “I'm making music for people who find it hard to express their pain,” he says. His parents died when he was only a kid, which in turn caused his family to split up. Left feeling alone without his siblings, HK dropped out of school and stayed true to the “block”; 'School of Hard Knocks'. However, his creativity continued to blossom.

 Eventually, a family friend named Jacqueline Rowe took him into her home. “Jackie was like my aunt. She believed in me and knew what I was working with,” he said.  Jackie helped HK and his group ‘Seventh Element’ get a deal with Iron Mike Entertainment, considering she's Mike Tyson's sister. The deal fell through after HK ended up getting locked up which led to his having to do time in prison. “It's got to a point where I've see, enough. I might not have seen it all but I've seen enough. Nothing else can happen but great.” HK has six kids and only has the highest expectations when it comes to their futures.  “I do a lot with my children,” he says “I've taught myself how not to lose.”As an artist he's adding energy to the Crosstown Mob movement saying, “I have so much ambition that it feels crazy!” It seems like the lows which stagnated his stardom will only be remembered as fuel for future heat. “Now, I'm even more creative, charismatic and diverse,” he says.

Super Sam produces pulsating, 808 knocking beats supporting his chameleon charm on the new East Coast Music Group mixtape. It's expected to drop in September. “It's almost ready,” he says.  Representing Crosstown Mob and Bakery Gang including Young Amsterdam, Big Law, Drew Logan, and China Zenith. In the background, bullets are flying as cars race through snare rolls and HK's on the verse. 'The Life We Live' and 'We Do It Big' are tracks off the new mixtape he's working on with Reign, Bugz, and Cage. “The most important thing is that I love the art,” says HK. “As far as I'm concerned I'll never run out of money so it's just gonna be an experience to experience.”

~Simone A. Santos

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis

Young Jeezy - Win (Official Video)

The Heatmakerz; Rsonist Cuts Up the Crack

        
            There’s been a sweet voice refreshing the front of their musical galaxy stuttering, “The Heatmakerz; crack music.” It’s so addictive that people who classify as hip-hop should know when to expect and recite the crave.  The productions are lit and all of a sudden, soul showers start to enhance up to a break. That is when samples sing, percussions drop, digitals explode and the crowds react indicating, Rsonist!

The Anthem was cracking when it first hit the streets of New York City. To this day, it plays like one of the street songs of praise. The Heatmakerz (Rsonist, Thriller, and Weatherman) are well recognized for the record ‘Diplomats Anthem’, which they produced in 2003 under Roc-a-fella. It was directly sampled from reggae artist, Sanchez’ 1994 hit ‘One in a Million’, and could be a tribute to Rsonist’ Jamaican roots. However, besides the Dipset, Camron and Juelz Santana, Rsonist has produced for an extensive number of hip-hop and R&B artists including Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Ludacris, Ghostface, Fat Joe, M.O.P., Nore and Capone, TI, Scarface, Lil Flip, Saigon and Brook Valentine, just to name a few. He hasn’t worked with Eminem but would like to, stating “I think him and Juelz have a similar flow and the sound fits. If you listen to the flow, the way he attacks the beat, it’s the same cadence. I think that it would be a dope change.”

Greg ‘Rosonist’ Green of the Bronx started his music career djing when he was only fourteen. “When I realized that people don’t react to anything else the way that they react to good music,” he said, “is when I fell in love with it.” From djing compositions, he followed the hip-hop instrumentalists’ path of natural progression. Eventually, Rsonist blew up becoming one of New York City’s hottest producers. The Heatmakerz have produced about sixty-five commercial songs for major record labels, another fifty for Koch records and when it comes to mixtapes, “that’s a whole ‘nother story,”  he says. Overall, they’ve produced hundreds of records that can be found in stores.

Inside, past the dark foyer of his mother’s ground floor basement was the paraphernalia. “I have a studio in Jersey that’s over three thousand square feet. I’m making beats for survival when I’m down here; I can’t make the same music there that I can make here. This reminds me of when I didn’t have a dollar in my pocket,” he said. He was sitting in front of his Music Production Center (MPC). On the wall over it, a poster read “Piano Chords”, listing the circle of fifths and keyboard fingerings for major, minor, augmented and diminished scales. “If you bring anyone down here, and I’m not excluding anybody… you bring anybody down here and they’re gonna have a problem,” Rsonist said. Saturating himself with music did not start out as a job. “It’s definitely my passion,” he said. Over time, Rsonist developed a professional ear for music considering he doesn’t know how to sight read. “There was a time when you can ask anybody who was around me; I was making 5 to 6 beats a day,” said Rsonist. “Making um and moving um, it was like a factory” he added. “I believed in quantity,” he said. It’s a matter of music but, when music is your profession it’s also about getting paid. Of the 5 or 6 beats Rsonist was producing each day he says, “If I didn’t like 2 of them I would throw them away. It’s definitely quality first.” 

Back in April at Push Play, he stated “I’m one of the illest producer that ever touched an MPC.” This was proven in November 2009. Rsonist won the Celebrity Beat Battle where he challenged other hit making producers for a “healthy competition”. They squared off, battling beat to beat and Amadeus, Bink and Lord Digga are some of those who were defeated by Rsonist’ compositions. “I did it just to prove a point,” he said. “They didn’t pay me but, people know The Heatmakerz so I just went in there and did what I had to do.” The Heatmakerz sounds are more than mere beats, they are works of mastery. As far as being considered the best in this game, Rsonist crowns DJ Premiere. “I’d have to give it to DJ Premiere first, before me. We’ve definitely held it but, I’d have to give it to him,” he said.

From traditional drum percussive kinetics to digital sound waves, hip-hop music has transgressed emerging energies that can currently compliment today’s resonance of music. “Sampling is more than grabbing a loop, throwing beats on it and putting it out,” he says. However, Rsonist admits that he used to get bothered by comments seen on the internet expressing that this is all that The Heatmakerz do.  “If it was so easy you’d be doing it,” he says. “There is nothing lazy about it.”

Hip-hop has been sampling and electronically mixing songs since its birth in the late 1970’s. Portions of song recordings are chopped up, played as instruments and reproduced into a fresh recording. It was the dj’s on the turntables breaking loops and scratching back then. Now, it’s a matter of Music Production Centers (MPC’s) and good musicians aka producers. “People who sample care about the music! You’re reinventing something and giving it life again. Sampling has been keeping people like James Brown alive. How many times has ‘A Man’s World’ been sampled?” he asked. As a matter of fact, according to cratekingz.com James Browns ‘Funk President’ is one of the ‘King of Soul’ most sampled songs in hip-hop. It’s up there with Al Green’s ‘I’m Glad You’re Mine’, and Melvin Bliss’ ‘Synthetic Substitution’. Sampling is mosaic. It is bringing back the essence of the old and constructively blends it in with what’s new. “You have to enhance the sample. That’s where people get it mixed-up. Sampling is an art,” he said.

“To find a sample you have to first find the sample. You don’t just grab anything to sample. Most producer dig through hundreds of records to find 2 or 3 records they want to buy. Go home to chop it up until you find the right sounds. Meanwhile, to make original beats, you just plug up the keyboard and sound modules, start playing the keys, and whatever comes out of your brain is what’s gonna happen. When you sample it’s a much longer process so there’s no way its lazy.  Then you get less money. At the end of the day you gotta pay anybody you’re sampling,” he says.

Rsonist has been working in the music industry since the beginning of the millennium. “This industry is full of assholes and paperwork gangstas. Why do you think Biggie said; I got lawyers watching lawyers so I don’t go broke,” says Rsonist. “You know what’s going on right now in hip-hop? You have to combine hip-hop and rap,” he states. ‘Look at What You Did’ is one of the tracks off his current project. He’s been rapping for the past couple of years and wishes that it would have manifested earlier to coexist with his life as a producer. However, it’s not too late. When asked what he’s been up to his response was “I gotta bunch of sh!t.”  He is currently working on several projects besides his own including The Lox, Styles P and B.O.B. He has some beats for Ludacris and looks forward to working with Cee-Lo Green.   

~Simone A. Santos

My Life The Truth - Big Law Ft Hk

FRIED OR FERTILIZED- Yung Humma ft Flynt Flossy and Whatchyamacallit

How u like your eggs?

GO GRAB MY BELT- Slick Mahony

Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun "Monumental" Music Video feat. Tyler Woods

D.Chamberz @ Stush Music Studio with HOT 97 DJ DJ MAGIC, JAY NOTEZ, AMAZ...

MATH HOFFA "What It Amounts To" via @MATHHOFFA

A week before Math Hoffa of Brooklyn faces Calicoe of Detroit for the Smack battle competition, scheduled August 7^th , he kicked it with Simone ‘SasAppeal’ Santos & Young Amsterdam to distribute his mixed punch of emcee and artist. He considers himself “a creator,” “aren’t we all,” he says.

In the beginning, “emceeing was a great tool that helped build my self-esteem which in turn inspired me to appreciate it from a more creative position, as an art.”  Today, he’s comfortably able to express himself, battle and make music. Math’s creativity manifests potentially dangerous. He “dares niggas” to believe battle rappers can’t make music or be artists “we’re that new breed… niggas can’t do what we do,” he boasts sharply like the smack of a double-edged sword. “Now, I’m inspired by the competition,” he basses invitingly.

He told Young Jack Thriller on Thisis50, earlier this year that his name ‘Math’ represents an acronym whose calculations amount to the truth. “You can calculate, whatever you do- you will not get a wrong answer as long as you do the right thing, that’s what you get from me; not that industry standard,” he states.  

“Music tells a story,” says Math.  It’s been confirmed that he’ll give a “dose” to anyone who pokes their fitted in the way of him telling his. Yea… he’s the guy who put the smack in Smack, back in ’07 and from an emcee he’s developed into a growing artist proclaiming, “I mean we’ve had our thug era.” His witty punch lines, aggressive flow, and charming BK swag have already placed him on the top of the battle rap game but at 6’3”, he’s not playing ball he’s ready for business,… independent business that is.

Math’s album, entitled ‘A.C.M.D. 3 (All Competition Must Die) received a great amount of views on Youtube and was promoted via all the hip-hop websites and blogs popping. It dropped in the spring and features artists such as Q-Tip and Method Man. He stated that while creating the LP he was at a point in his life where he needed to grow, aspiring to make music for more than the “streets”.

The track “Beautiful” featuring Q-Tip and produced by J. Glaze grooves an early ‘90’s appeal. The sound is something dreamy and dynamic combined with sensual yet appropriate lyrical content regarding a woman. With this he strays far from the typical battle scene and creates music that you will still bop your head to. However, in this case you might just want to get up and dance.

Exposed and absorbed since the “classic golden” and “platinum” eras of hip-hop, Math said simply, “it was out there and I just grew up listening to it.” His earliest memory takes him back to the late 80’s classic by LL Cool J “I’m Bad”. He recalled that his cousins’ walkman always had that cassette on deck. Math would sneak off with it for hour’s rocking and rhyming while hiding, trying to avoid giving it back and wishing his cousin would forget it. “He never forgot.”

Respectfully, Math attributed homage to some of the pioneers he grew up listening to such as Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Redman, Digital Underground and of course, fallen soldiers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.

He came through in a Yankee fitted, Penny Hardaway’s, Giorgio Armani shades and a crispy white-T. He’s still BK all day but he didn’t fail to mention that “this aint no $4 white-T!” Laughs were shared when he responded “It’s not silk, probably Egyptian cotton or some shit.”

“We rock the building with straight bars,” said Math. His long awaited battle versus Calicoe on Sunday will also bring Math’s NYB fam, Hollow Da Don face to face with Hitman Holla of the Lou. Although, Math did not want to predict a winner he declares, “I’m always a winner.” When asked how good he believes Aye Verb, Goodz and T-Rex are at “his”profession, emceeing he responded, “Fat boys aight… but nah, fuck all them niggas!” “I’m the next best thing__ the proof is in the pudding.”

-Simone A. Santos