It’s no secret that it takes everything you got to make it in the rap game, especially since “the game,” as Paul Iannacchino, Jr. points out, “is a cruel, cruel bitch with little to give but heartache, bad credit and chronic wanderlust.” He should know. Also known as DJ paWL, former member of indie rap group Hangar 18, he saw firsthand the ups and downs of the industry and knows all too well the game only gets harder for rappers as they get older. It’s an intriguing subject, which is why the producer decided to make Adult Rappers, a documentary that explores life as a hip-hop artist when you’re a grown-ass man or woman. The film features an impressive cast that includes folks like Masta Ace, R.A. the Rugged Man, Slug, Jarobi, and regular egotripland contributor J-Zone. Much like the “Back On the Plantation” chapter of Zone’s acclaimed book, Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit, and a Celebration of Failure, Adult Rappers also focuses on that point in life when an artist has to mature and face tough decisions. Iannacchino started a Kick Starter fund to raise loot to help him finish the film and has almost reached that goal. You can help by donating, but please hurry, there’s less than 24 hours left, as pledging ends on Thursday May 17, 9:01am EDT. Find out how you can contribute and peep the trailer – in which J-Zone talk about how he’s sometimes confused for Jay-Z (!) – after the jump …
NEW IN BLOGZ: While subbing for a college professor a few months back, a question popped up in a class discussion: Is Odd Future’s “Rella” video offensive or funny? Apparently people on campus were protesting the group being booked at an upcoming festival at the school. Rap deemed as offensive has always ground gears, but if we go back 20 years this stuff was also political ammo. Tipper Gore, C. Delores Tucker, Rev. Calvin Butts, etc. – every utterance of “nigga,” “bitch,” “ho,” “bust a cap in his ass,” “don’t get caught up in a 187,” and “bend over for the God damn cracker” meant mo’ opportunities for folks like those to make statements and bolster some type of agenda in what was also an election year. No surprise then that some of rap’s most offensive and inflammatory albums dropped in 1992… (Continued…)
NEW IN BLOGZ: We all saw it. We all knew all about it. But seeing it again made it much more nauseating for some reason. Of course, I’m referring to Rodney King’s heartfelt scripted plea for peace and call for blacks, whites, little children, old folks, Asian gun shop owners, Mexicans, cops, Yorkshire Terriers, daffodils, dinosaurs, stingrays, alligators, and all the rest of God’s creations to get along and stop hurting each other. (Continued…)
J-Zone, producer/rapper extraordinaire, egotripland contributor and Root For The Villain: Rap, Bullshit, And a Celebration of Failure author (order it HERE today), recently was interviewed by Dazed Digital about the cutthroat music business, something of which he’s an expert on after spending 16 years hustlin’ in “the game.” “I may have been a failure by music industry standards, but when I thought about it, I realised I never did this for industry approval anyway,” says Zone, who also provides a Chief Chinchilla hosted mix you gotta hear. “I wanted to make my albums like Tim Dog’s or The Afros’ – how could I expect to blow up? [laughs] That’s something to be proud of.” Indeed it is, Mr. Zone. To read the rest of the interview and listen to the new Gators-N-Fur mix via Dazed Digital, click HERE.
Given his newfound status as a celebrated author (and resident egotripland contributing curmudgeon), perhaps it’s easy to forget J-Zone’s history as a skilled producer in his own right. The miracle-working maestro of dollar bin sample fare, Zone’s dense leftfield funk has accompanied raps by everyone from Akinyele to R.A. the Rugged Man, E-40 to Andy Samberg’s Lonely Island. But it’s his own recordings that provide the best platform for his distinctively off-the-wall aesthetic. While J’s 2001 opus Pimps Don’t Pay Taxes remains a classic of the broke baller ethos, don’t snooze on the other projects deeper within his oeuvre – like his exceedingly clever ’06 Hendrix tribute EP, Experienced! Like much of his other work their comic impulses belie a musical intricacy and sophistication that show J to be an ace student of the craft of beat-making. Oh, and let the record also show: contrary to popular rumor this funk fiend hasn’t fully retired from making tracks, he’s just chillin’ in the rap nursing home. Between bingo matches and bedpan changes we hit him up for a list of his favorite sample flips.
PEEP J-ZONE’S 10 FAVORITE SAMPLE FLIPS (AND TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS)… AFTER THE JUMP… Continue Reading »
NEW IN BLOGZ: I see Cupid shot’cha in the ass again, huh? Fuck all that. Let’s kill all the formalities and flowers. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is what truly motivates you to make those donations to Hallmark and that swank sushi spot with the $27 California rolls. Let’s hear from some folks who understand that concept. I present to you my 20 greatest sex-related rap songs of all-time. Happy Valentine’s Day… [insert Snoop Dogg in Baby Boy voice] “scrub.”
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NYC People: You can bet your last money it’s all gonna be a stone gas, honey – this Monday evening as egotripland all-star contributor J-Zone makes a rare live DJ appearance at Operator EMZ’s Mobile Mondays throwdown. Zone will be rocking an all-45s set – as is customary at MM – and dedicating his funky selections to the memory of Mr. Don Cornelius. Joey C and Natasha Diggs also rockin’ the 1s n’ 2s with EMZ. Be there!
Mobile Mondays Presents Funk Night ft. J-Zone
plus residents Operator EMZ, Joey C & Natasha Diggs playin’ 45s all night WHERE: The Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery @ 2nd St. NYC WHEN: Monday, February 6th, 2012, 9pm – 2am HOW: FREE
NEW IN BLOGZ: In light of recent high profile diss songs/verses circulating the rap universe, J-Zone digs back in his mental crate to share some of his favorite venomous obscurities from years past. Ever wonder why anyone would shit on mild-mannered Kid N Play? Or how Queen Latifah’s call to cease chauvinism, “U.N.I.T.Y.,” could incense someone into a barrage of gender-directed verbal violence? Ever really hear Willie D of the Geto Boys pissed the hell off (no, really)? No matter your temperament, pacifist or war pig, you’ll wanna peep “Mo’ Beef: J-Zone’s Favorite Obscure Diss Tracks.” Read it, HERE.
Education in this country is in the toilet. Thank goodness we’ve got Soce (a/k/a Soce the Elemental Wizard) – featured player in Prince Paul’s smash stage play, Negroes On Ice – and his video series Math Problems to help address our nation’s issues with arithmetic, multiplication, and long division. In episode 12, Soce is joined by egotripland contributor and supastar author J-Zone to dissect exactly how many man-hours was required to create his song “The Bum-Bitch Ballad” (from his 2002 broke rap masterpiece, Pimps Don’t Pay Taxes). While Jay-Z may have (allegedly) sworn off the b-word, J-Zone understands that there are potentially 99 math problems behind each one of them suckers. Do the math.
