I should have done this like last year but, ooops. BITCHESZINE has now moved to BITCHESZINE.COM I will no longer be using this make post.
peace j9
Monday 18 April 2011
Monday 26 April 2010
j*9 interviews Jo Bean
Jo Bean's CV is as interconnected as King Cross Station, having worked with a carousel of artists from the UK and the US, with names like, Slum Village, Floerty and Mos Def to name but a few. She has been involved in the Music Industry for 15 years and the role she plays in that labyrinth is Radio Promotion. Check out the interview below. (For all aspiring artists take notes, she offers some sound advice).
J*9: Describe yourself in three sentences
Jo Bean: I am obsessed with music, been doing this for a long time, I am a quiet but can make noise when needed.
J*9: What is an average day like?
Jo Bean: I do radio promotion, so I am currently chasing up DJs to get feedback on tracks. This is my biggest hurdle they get sent so much material nine times out of ten they will hit the delete button. So it is hard work. If everybody came back to me with feedback it would make my life so much easier.
J*9: How hard is it to get Artist’s music out there?
Jo Bean: There are loads of different sides, you got people doing Press, Online, TV and through Social Networking sites. It depends upon how big of a team is on board. I have been involved in campaigns where there are so many people that it takes a lot of money and time. When it is independent artists they are often doing it themselves, especially through the whole youtube, myspace or even selling their Cds on the streets.
J*9: Is it easier having a record label behind them or doing all the promotion yourself?
Jo Bean: Well you have to start from the bottom, you need to get support from people out there, the DJs, Pirate Radio Stations they all have to be on it. What is happening now is that the Major Labels are not even looking at you until you have some heat on you. They want you to do all the work as soon as you do the work, they are thinking this ones looking okay.
J*9: It seems before Record Labels were willing to invest in up and coming talent?
Jo Bean: Back in the day Major [Labels] definitely took more risk with artists and they used to develop people slowly. These days if you release a single and it bombs then that is it you are dropped. In the hip-hop world Majors do not take them seriously, which is why a lot of artists have gone down the independent route. Years ago people wanted big advances you don’t get that now, but you have to pay it all back anyway. Them days are long gone. Even in America all the old school hip-hop guys are doing it themselves, they are putting it out on their own labels and keeping all the money for themselves.
J*9: So how did you get involved in Music Promotion?
Jo Bean: I started off working in record shops and I got a job working in a soul label many moons ago. I moved on to a radio promotion company, I have been in that type of role ever since. I have done label management for All City Music and I love the label management side of things.
J*9: Why is that?
Jo Bean: It was Dan Green Peace label; when I was running it he let me get on with things. It wasn’t just one role, which can be boring you get to have your fingers in many different pies. You are dealing with gigs, promotion, looking after tracks, distributions and then you get too see the end result. In a Major label you would only get to do one little bit and I have experience in everything and that is what I like.
J*9: What was it like working at All City Music?
Jo Bean: All City Music was owned by Dan Greenpeace he manages Sway on the label there was Pyrelli, Baby J, Shameless etc. We also managed Rawkus Records when they came back out, but it disbanded because that audience had grown up now so it harder to get the music out there.
J*9: Grass Rootz is your own thing?
Jo Bean: It is specialist radio Promotion mainly all hip-hop, bit of r’n’b and no grime! I have to be huge fans of the musicxa if I am not feeling it then I can’t project it.
J*9: How do you promote the Artists you work with?
Jo Bean: I work for a lot of new artists so it is really creating a buzz about them and it depends on who else is involved. If you are dealing with American artists, it helps if they are coming over doing tour dates it is whatever you can do to get their name out there.
J*9: What is an effective strategy to promote yourself?
Jo Bean: If it were fresh talent, I would only take it on if I thought it was good. I get sent a lot of material and think nope that’s not happening! But I am pretty straight with people and will tell them if I think it is not strong enough because all of the competition out there. You have to have good material, you may think you are the greatest but that’s in your front room! You need to create a strong profile and you need charisma. I have been to so many shows and the guy on stage has nothing about him or can’t relate to the audience. You need to get on as many support acts as possible. A lot of people expect things to be handed on a silver platter you have to do it all yourself.
J*9: How do you determine good music?
Jo Bean: You hear the beat and you think this have a little something, it is a combination of what they are saying, their flow. You have the ear; you just know what is good. I listen to music and think it is not my cup of tea but it works. If you send me ten tracks I could pick that one that works.
J*9: You have worked with quite a lot names in hip-hop, has there been any that stood out?
Jo Bean: Little Brother they are lovely, Kidz in the Hall are sweat hearts and they are some nice people. They are just like regular people, they happened to have this name and gone on too good things, that is all it is. But is normally the people around are not so nice.
J*9: Describe yourself in three sentences
Jo Bean: I am obsessed with music, been doing this for a long time, I am a quiet but can make noise when needed.
J*9: What is an average day like?
Jo Bean: I do radio promotion, so I am currently chasing up DJs to get feedback on tracks. This is my biggest hurdle they get sent so much material nine times out of ten they will hit the delete button. So it is hard work. If everybody came back to me with feedback it would make my life so much easier.
J*9: How hard is it to get Artist’s music out there?
Jo Bean: There are loads of different sides, you got people doing Press, Online, TV and through Social Networking sites. It depends upon how big of a team is on board. I have been involved in campaigns where there are so many people that it takes a lot of money and time. When it is independent artists they are often doing it themselves, especially through the whole youtube, myspace or even selling their Cds on the streets.
J*9: Is it easier having a record label behind them or doing all the promotion yourself?
Jo Bean: Well you have to start from the bottom, you need to get support from people out there, the DJs, Pirate Radio Stations they all have to be on it. What is happening now is that the Major Labels are not even looking at you until you have some heat on you. They want you to do all the work as soon as you do the work, they are thinking this ones looking okay.
J*9: It seems before Record Labels were willing to invest in up and coming talent?
Jo Bean: Back in the day Major [Labels] definitely took more risk with artists and they used to develop people slowly. These days if you release a single and it bombs then that is it you are dropped. In the hip-hop world Majors do not take them seriously, which is why a lot of artists have gone down the independent route. Years ago people wanted big advances you don’t get that now, but you have to pay it all back anyway. Them days are long gone. Even in America all the old school hip-hop guys are doing it themselves, they are putting it out on their own labels and keeping all the money for themselves.
J*9: So how did you get involved in Music Promotion?
Jo Bean: I started off working in record shops and I got a job working in a soul label many moons ago. I moved on to a radio promotion company, I have been in that type of role ever since. I have done label management for All City Music and I love the label management side of things.
J*9: Why is that?
Jo Bean: It was Dan Green Peace label; when I was running it he let me get on with things. It wasn’t just one role, which can be boring you get to have your fingers in many different pies. You are dealing with gigs, promotion, looking after tracks, distributions and then you get too see the end result. In a Major label you would only get to do one little bit and I have experience in everything and that is what I like.
J*9: What was it like working at All City Music?
Jo Bean: All City Music was owned by Dan Greenpeace he manages Sway on the label there was Pyrelli, Baby J, Shameless etc. We also managed Rawkus Records when they came back out, but it disbanded because that audience had grown up now so it harder to get the music out there.
J*9: Grass Rootz is your own thing?
Jo Bean: It is specialist radio Promotion mainly all hip-hop, bit of r’n’b and no grime! I have to be huge fans of the musicxa if I am not feeling it then I can’t project it.
J*9: How do you promote the Artists you work with?
Jo Bean: I work for a lot of new artists so it is really creating a buzz about them and it depends on who else is involved. If you are dealing with American artists, it helps if they are coming over doing tour dates it is whatever you can do to get their name out there.
J*9: What is an effective strategy to promote yourself?
Jo Bean: If it were fresh talent, I would only take it on if I thought it was good. I get sent a lot of material and think nope that’s not happening! But I am pretty straight with people and will tell them if I think it is not strong enough because all of the competition out there. You have to have good material, you may think you are the greatest but that’s in your front room! You need to create a strong profile and you need charisma. I have been to so many shows and the guy on stage has nothing about him or can’t relate to the audience. You need to get on as many support acts as possible. A lot of people expect things to be handed on a silver platter you have to do it all yourself.
J*9: How do you determine good music?
Jo Bean: You hear the beat and you think this have a little something, it is a combination of what they are saying, their flow. You have the ear; you just know what is good. I listen to music and think it is not my cup of tea but it works. If you send me ten tracks I could pick that one that works.
J*9: You have worked with quite a lot names in hip-hop, has there been any that stood out?
Jo Bean: Little Brother they are lovely, Kidz in the Hall are sweat hearts and they are some nice people. They are just like regular people, they happened to have this name and gone on too good things, that is all it is. But is normally the people around are not so nice.
j*9 interviews Jay Diamond
Jay Diamond is a multitalented, Singer, Journalist, DJ, Filmmaker, Event Organiser and amongst may other things she is a true creative. She is witty beyond words, wise as an owl; and after watering and feeding me in her swanky flat in Brixton, we got down to business. Check the interview below.
J*9: how did you get into DJing?
Jay Diamond: I started on Pirate Radio station called Unity in Manchester and it developed after that. I started to buy more vinyl, go in the studio practice and play out the occasional night. The show really blew up and I started writing for UK Hip-hop and British Hip-hop. Now here I am in London, with my own show on Rinse.
J*9: Are there any moments that stood out for you when you were at Unity?
Jay Diamond: When Top Cat came through it was amazing, he is an old school artist and is very well respected. Each show is different and met loads of different artists passing through.
J*9: You won a bursary from BBC Urban Music Fund, how has the fund supported you?
Jay Diamond: That was for my music, radio, and journalism. Last year, I took myself to New York and filmed this documentary about hip-hop over there. I came back and decided to move to London and I did loads of promos, I got in touch with Rinse Fm, They gave me a demo show and now I do their Breakfast show on a Saturday morning.
J*9: How do you prepare for your shows at Rinse?
Jay Diamond: Oh god! A lot of the preparation is about finding out about new music and what is good. I am not down with listening to other people’s show and listening to what music they are playing. I like to do things different but it gets me into trouble sometimes. What is a nightmare is organising the music, remembering where I got it from and putting it into different sections. I don’t sit at home practising set for hours; I just get on with it.
J*9: How is your show different from the other DJs?
Jay Diamond: I’m from Manchester it might sound basic, but I feel it makes a huge difference. My approach and sense of humour, the way in which I take the piss and so constantly, people are like you can’t say that. Also, I am not caught up in my ego, I just want to have a laugh; I’m just about playing good music you either like it or you don’t.
J*9: What is the difference between playing on the radio and playing out?
Jay Diamond: There is a massive difference! If people don’t like it they will just walk off the dance floor its in your face like that, they expect to be entertained. I playing according to what they [ravers] are feeling, but that does not mean I don’t play music I don’t like. But on the radio I have more freedom, I can play a hard ass track that you can’t really dance to but sounds top. People are listening for music sake maybe to hear something new or interesting.
J*9: Which is easier to do?
Jay Diamond: Playing out is a lot more exciting, you look in one corner and people are feeling it and look you somewhere else people bopping along. Even if it is the type of atmosphere where people are not going to boogie but are nodding along, that is a job well done for me. But I don’t get to be very experimental. The radio is great I get too interact with listeners on a personal level they can text in, msn and emails. You get to have daft debates about what your favourite sweet was when you were young. Rinse is especially about UK music so it is a good showcasing for up and coming artists.
J*9: Tell me about the documentary you made.
Jay Diamond: Well I wanted to develop my Music Journalism and I had this idea about going to New York and I could not stop thinking about it everyday on the way too work. So I bought my tickets and I went. I ended up in Bedsty, my peeps that were staying in Atlanta was like what the fuck are you doing in Bedsty! I spent a month there and met the most amazing people I went to Chuck D house, met Johnny Juice, Om’mas Keith. In New York I could go to places on my own and gravitate to people to hang with. I thought it would be like that in London, but people are so cold here. New York is much more hardcore than London in many ways. In New York people are interested in because you are something different; but in London something new is a threat.
J*9: How else did the bursary support you?
Jay Diamond: I also used it for my music, I am currently about to release my EP and tracks that had been played on 1Extra which is my soulful stuff. I had some A&R people interested in my Electro material. My aim is to put my music out, some of that money was put aside for production, studio time.
J*9: How hard is to get break in Music Industry.
Jay Diamond: There is music that you love and the there is the Music Industry. If I was strictly Music Industry, I would be playing all commercial music and through that way I would get a gig every night. I am bit daft so I don’t.
J*9: I think it is so important to have that level of integrity.
Jay Diamond: Of course. I can’t remember the last time I played song and I thought I fucking hate it. But I guess that is me being passionate about music. But with some people they are passionate being famous because they are a DJ. With the hip-hop that I play I know there is a place for it and then there are people with no concept and want me to play 50 Cent.
J*9: To wrap up, are there any forthcoming projects that you are allowed to talk about?
Jay Diamond: I am working on some projects around my Electro sound. On the Soulful side, I have a nice response to my song ‘Touch’ and I will be working on my EP. I also want to develop my radio show, I want to start getting guests in and getting some good new music. I am going to do some poetry work, I haven’t written poetry in a while. Just like to keep myself creative.
Images Courtesy of Ben Yacobi
J*9: how did you get into DJing?
Jay Diamond: I started on Pirate Radio station called Unity in Manchester and it developed after that. I started to buy more vinyl, go in the studio practice and play out the occasional night. The show really blew up and I started writing for UK Hip-hop and British Hip-hop. Now here I am in London, with my own show on Rinse.
J*9: Are there any moments that stood out for you when you were at Unity?
Jay Diamond: When Top Cat came through it was amazing, he is an old school artist and is very well respected. Each show is different and met loads of different artists passing through.
J*9: You won a bursary from BBC Urban Music Fund, how has the fund supported you?
Jay Diamond: That was for my music, radio, and journalism. Last year, I took myself to New York and filmed this documentary about hip-hop over there. I came back and decided to move to London and I did loads of promos, I got in touch with Rinse Fm, They gave me a demo show and now I do their Breakfast show on a Saturday morning.
J*9: How do you prepare for your shows at Rinse?
Jay Diamond: Oh god! A lot of the preparation is about finding out about new music and what is good. I am not down with listening to other people’s show and listening to what music they are playing. I like to do things different but it gets me into trouble sometimes. What is a nightmare is organising the music, remembering where I got it from and putting it into different sections. I don’t sit at home practising set for hours; I just get on with it.
J*9: How is your show different from the other DJs?
Jay Diamond: I’m from Manchester it might sound basic, but I feel it makes a huge difference. My approach and sense of humour, the way in which I take the piss and so constantly, people are like you can’t say that. Also, I am not caught up in my ego, I just want to have a laugh; I’m just about playing good music you either like it or you don’t.
J*9: What is the difference between playing on the radio and playing out?
Jay Diamond: There is a massive difference! If people don’t like it they will just walk off the dance floor its in your face like that, they expect to be entertained. I playing according to what they [ravers] are feeling, but that does not mean I don’t play music I don’t like. But on the radio I have more freedom, I can play a hard ass track that you can’t really dance to but sounds top. People are listening for music sake maybe to hear something new or interesting.
J*9: Which is easier to do?
Jay Diamond: Playing out is a lot more exciting, you look in one corner and people are feeling it and look you somewhere else people bopping along. Even if it is the type of atmosphere where people are not going to boogie but are nodding along, that is a job well done for me. But I don’t get to be very experimental. The radio is great I get too interact with listeners on a personal level they can text in, msn and emails. You get to have daft debates about what your favourite sweet was when you were young. Rinse is especially about UK music so it is a good showcasing for up and coming artists.
J*9: Tell me about the documentary you made.
Jay Diamond: Well I wanted to develop my Music Journalism and I had this idea about going to New York and I could not stop thinking about it everyday on the way too work. So I bought my tickets and I went. I ended up in Bedsty, my peeps that were staying in Atlanta was like what the fuck are you doing in Bedsty! I spent a month there and met the most amazing people I went to Chuck D house, met Johnny Juice, Om’mas Keith. In New York I could go to places on my own and gravitate to people to hang with. I thought it would be like that in London, but people are so cold here. New York is much more hardcore than London in many ways. In New York people are interested in because you are something different; but in London something new is a threat.
J*9: How else did the bursary support you?
Jay Diamond: I also used it for my music, I am currently about to release my EP and tracks that had been played on 1Extra which is my soulful stuff. I had some A&R people interested in my Electro material. My aim is to put my music out, some of that money was put aside for production, studio time.
J*9: How hard is to get break in Music Industry.
Jay Diamond: There is music that you love and the there is the Music Industry. If I was strictly Music Industry, I would be playing all commercial music and through that way I would get a gig every night. I am bit daft so I don’t.
J*9: I think it is so important to have that level of integrity.
Jay Diamond: Of course. I can’t remember the last time I played song and I thought I fucking hate it. But I guess that is me being passionate about music. But with some people they are passionate being famous because they are a DJ. With the hip-hop that I play I know there is a place for it and then there are people with no concept and want me to play 50 Cent.
J*9: To wrap up, are there any forthcoming projects that you are allowed to talk about?
Jay Diamond: I am working on some projects around my Electro sound. On the Soulful side, I have a nice response to my song ‘Touch’ and I will be working on my EP. I also want to develop my radio show, I want to start getting guests in and getting some good new music. I am going to do some poetry work, I haven’t written poetry in a while. Just like to keep myself creative.
Images Courtesy of Ben Yacobi
Sunday 11 April 2010
Celebration of Fatima's 'Mind Travelling' EP
Last night, I headed down to check Fatima and singer/song writer and ultimate groove thing, she was throwing a celebration party for her 'Mind Travelling' EP, which was amazing.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the soultress doing her 'thang' but she has an amazing personality that is warm, relaxed and utterly hilarious which resonated with the audience.
Here is her amazing video, 'Soul Glo' and make sure you cop that EP!
Check her Myspace for more details: http://www.myspace.com/fatimaworldwide
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the soultress doing her 'thang' but she has an amazing personality that is warm, relaxed and utterly hilarious which resonated with the audience.
Here is her amazing video, 'Soul Glo' and make sure you cop that EP!
Check her Myspace for more details: http://www.myspace.com/fatimaworldwide
Window Seat – Exploration of the Black female body
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After watching ‘Window Seat’ music video which is the first single to be released of the Erykah Badu’s new album ‘New Amerykah: Return of the Ankh’ I thought, what is the point of this? So I watched it again and then again. Is Ms Badu trying to challenge societies views on nudity? Did she want to generate dialogue about the representation of the Black female body? Or simply, did she want us all to see how amazing her body is, after having three children?
Whatever the agenda may have been, Badu has been charged by for disorderly conduct, Sgt. Warren Mitchell: "After much discussion, we feel that these charges best fit her conduct. She disrobed in a public place without regard to individuals and small children who were close by." In an interview with MTV, Badu said of the reaction her video caused: "I expected it to provoke dialogue, and it's an important statement to make. It's about freeing oneself of the layers and layers of things that we have learned as Americans in this country."
CBS reported the act as “strip tease” which I beg to differ, as there was nothing sexual in how Badu was revealing her body. In fact, she provides a refreshing dichotomy in how the black female body is represented in Western Media. The Black female body represents promiscuity, sexual deviance and danger, all enough to distract White men. She shows the Black female body its natural state: free of social constructs. She unveils herself one piece of clothing at a time, freeing herself and her body of restrictions or shackles that is placed upon the Black female body.
Perhaps, if the video was about her impersonating a stripper whilst revealing her body, it would have been controversial yes, but acceptable. Why, because she would be promoting the stereotype Black women are sexually lascivious. It is ironic that the likes of Lady Gaga can flash her crotch on screen and it be considered ‘art;’ but when a Black women gracefully shows the Black female body in its glorious form, she gets blasted.
Sources:
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/EntertainmentNews.aspx?Section=2&Id=1265699&SM=1
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20001724-504083.html
Monday 15 February 2010
j*9 interviews Lucy Pink
J*9: How did the Diesel Radio Station Start?
Lucy Pink: It all started in May 2008 and it was a pop up project and we were above the Amersham Arms in New Cross and it was just meant to be for 6 weeks. The idea was that we got bands, musicians, DJs and artists to host their own shows where they come in and take over. Then we went off air and were never to come back again, but in September 2008 they asked us to come back for another 6 weeks and then we went off air again. In April 2009 we started off again and we have been going ever since. Its kind of varies between 6 weeks being really full on and the few months with one live show a day.
J*9: So how did you get involved?
Lucy Pink: Emma our Creative Director put the idea to Diesel and we had done a similar thing for Bestival and I have been doing that for 6 years. I worked with Emma and the team on the Bestival radio as well so when this came up, she picked her radio team and I was on that list. I was working full time when the first project happened and my work gave me six weeks off because they knew this is what I wanted to be doing. The second time it came up, I thought I can’t ask them again but then I thought I could ask them again. I know this is really cheeky but I want to go do it again they were like yeah go do it! It was like having a family as a work place who were so supportive.
J*9: What has been the response since you first started the project?
Lucy Pink: It’s been huge, huge, and huge. When they know about it they like this is great. When the artists come down to do their show they are like we have had the best time. Or people who come as guest see the space and feel the vibe, they like I want to come back and do something here. Dawn Pen did that recently she was like when you are going to get me to do a show? I was like anytime, she came and guessed with Roots Manuva. She just dropped by but after spending the night here she was like I want to do one. As it is Internet based we are getting a good international response and it is not just listeners from the UK. We have done broadcasts out in New York, which was insane, Berlin and Milan and venturing out here there and everywhere. When they [artists] are doing their show we guide them we don’t tell them what to do. They will be like can I play this really random record that I found and we will be like of course you can.
J*9: Is there a set format or is it down to the artists?
Lucy Pink: It is completely down to the artists as the shows are one-offs. I do a weekly show for Diesel and Tom Ravencroft as well we are in-house producers but every other show was one-off. It’s not that format of breakfast or drive time, its completely random you could have Drum & Bass at nine o’clock in the morning, or Smooth Jazz at eleven at night. You don’t really know what is going to happen throughout the day, which is pretty cool.
J*9: What guests have you had on the show?
Lucy Pink: The one show that stood out was the Banana Clan showcase. We had Roots Manuva, The Banana Skins Bands, Ricky Rankin, Jimmy Screech. Roots had guessed on my show and I was like why don’t you do your own show. So he came down to do his own and took over the space and made it into a performance area. Roots had invited Dawn Penn she turned up with her guitarists and they rocked with this full live show and were being broadcasted at the same time. Everyone had so much fun; it was like friends coming together to do an event.
J*9: What were the highlights?
Lucy Pink: Being in New York was the biggest, I got to interview Consequence and Ryan Leslie these huge super stars out there which was mind blowing. I got to link with the End of the Weak out there and did some stuff with them. In show wise there have been so many!
J*9: Did any guests surprise you?
Lucy Pink: I think the most comedic and random one had to be Kashmere and DJ Ghost. They were using stuff here like xylophones and random instruments that you find at children’s parties they were not even trying to be musical. Dan Greenpeace and DJ Excalibah were getting involved it was like they were at their mates house having a laugh. We keep things under control but we are like do whatever you like. Sometimes it can go the other way, people turn up and you think they may do one thing but come with a complete band. I thought Speech Dubelle was coming in for an interview and she turned up with a full live band. This is fantastic but now I need to run around the studio and set everything up.
J*9: How did you get into radio?
Lucy Pink: I started at uni and I got involved straight away. I started spending more time on radio than my degree. I did a weekly show there and it built up and we were getting sponsorships from local record shops that gave us all our music. I guess that was how I got into hip-hop, but I was more drum & bass back then. When I left I came to London and did hospital radio and did just as much as I could. Starting making pod casts, going out on the scene, interviewing people, I guess I saw it as practice and to get to where I am. Practising and perfecting my craft and just meeting people, understanding it all, I’m not there yet, I have still got a lot more learning to do.
J*9: How long you been on radio?
Lucy Pink: Seven years, it has only been in the last 2-3 years that it has become more established and more regular. There is still so much more to do and I write my to do list every day.
J*9: What items are on your to do lists?
Lucy Pink: Perfecting my editing and DJing skills. I am more a radio DJ than live a DJ so practising my mixing so I can do gigs. I don’t want to be one of those DJs that are really bad! I just want to get the show built up and not miss any opportunities.
J*9: Are you more into indie radio or something major like the beep?
Lucy Pink: I would love to do something like the BBC because that is like the top point. I enjoy doing this [Diesel FM] and I love doing this and I’m seeing where it can all go and what happens. It just the case of contacting people and getting everything perfected. If 1Extra came knocking, I’ll be hell yeah! Nothing is really permanent it is always leading to other stuff.
J*9: Do you remember your first show?
Lucy Pink: It was awful! I was co-presenting with this guy who is still a friend of mine. Listening back to them I sounded really nervous and a bit false, I guess you are your biggest critique. But with our shows we really loved music, once we started talking about music it sounded really natural. It was those opening links, I think because I was really nervous. But show really developed and they kept us going for three years and we had the prime time slot. Someone must have thought it was all right but when I listen to him or her I cringe!
J*9: I think it’s the case of listening to your own voice, I personally hate it!
Lucy Pink: But you have too! Especially when I have done my pod cast, I need to arrange it in way that makes sense to the listener and just ignore the fact that you hate the sound of your own voice. Now I do it a lot, to work out where things can be improved or can’t be said. When you are just talking you don’t realise how often you would say a certain word or phrases. It’s like oh my god I just said wicked 50 times in half an hour and it sounds really shit.
J*9: How do you know when listeners are feeling the music?
Lucy Pink: Feedback, people using social network sites like twitter, facebook, my space sending in comments and people are responding straight away. With my show as well, there is a lot of underground and up coming artists so we get feedback from them and get sent lot stuff. The show it is really different from a DJ set, so I hand picked all my music or get sent stuff and filter through and see what I like. If I have a guest on I will play a lot of their stuff in the interview. I don’t plan to start off chilled and then heavy; it kind of just bounce around and that is what I love about radio.
Check Lucy Pink on:
www.dieselumusicradio.com
http://lucypink.podomatic.com
www.myspace.com/lucyadam
Saturday 6 February 2010
The Female MC by Krista Keating
The female MC. She exists. I know she does. I've seen her at my local open mic. I've seen her on cheesy reality shows. I've heard her on college and independent radio. I've seen her at female MC showcases. I've read her flows on web cyphers. I've seen her on My Space. But how come I don't hear her on KMEL or see her video on MTV or BET? Yeah, I can catch some out dated joint by Lil' Kim or Foxy Brown and Lauryn Hill's flows never get old, but, where is the new generation of female MCs?
It's a man's world. I get this. Men run and ruin this world at their will. Women clean up the mess, however that may manifest itself. Hip Hop, the progressive counter-culture that we may be, still subscribes to sexist values that choke the female MCs voice. The male dominated industry of Hip Hop still lacks faith in the female MC.
A few weeks ago I was at a function when a few men started to talk about Hip Hop. This issue having been on my mind for awhile now prompted me to tell the men that there are no new female MCs on the radio and quite frankly Hip Hop, the industry, doesn't seem to give a hoot. The response, by one Bay Area MC, was "Who gives a shit? If there were females dope enough to be heard, they would be." His response angered me. There are most certainly female MCs trying to be heard who are dope enough to be put on. And there are most certainly wack male MCs getting breaded out for spitting garbage!
One might say that just like the women's liberation struggle, only women can uplift women. Thus, the responsibility of putting female MCs into the mainstream falls on the shoulders of women. But the truth is that the heads of major labels, major radio stations are not women. The labels are run by men. It's a man's world.
So, just like with the women's struggle for equality, the challenge to put talented female MCs into the mainstream, requires that men join our cause. If the same ol' cookie cutter gangster, ride or die female MC is what the mainstream allows for, why haven't we had a new one of those in few years? What's the problem?
The entertainment biz is cutthroat. It's musical chairs, there's never enough room for everybody to play. If you are trying to blow up as an MC, the threat that the next MC will take your spot is real, and can happen at any given moment. The public fan base is wishy-washy and easily distracted, often only offering unconditional loyalty after your dead and gone. Investment into an MC can be risky. But with no female MCs to speak of, why not take the leap? Why not offer up something new to a male gangster MC saturated radio line up? Isn't that why Lil' Wayne gave us Drake or why T-Pain resurrected the auto-tune, to come new? The same shit over and over gets played out, that's why T-Pain's auto-tune craze is already falling off.
I am a grown woman. I have kids to raise. The truth is a pain I need in order to arm my children for the real world. The reality that it's a man's world doesn't distract me from other truths, such as, women have the right to be heard, even if it unsettles their men's world.
The truth is that a crop of female MCs to shake up the game would be both a wise financial and cultural investment into the future of Hip Hop. Let's step our game up!
Text: Krista Keating
Check Krista on:
http://www.jzybelle.blogspot.com
It's a man's world. I get this. Men run and ruin this world at their will. Women clean up the mess, however that may manifest itself. Hip Hop, the progressive counter-culture that we may be, still subscribes to sexist values that choke the female MCs voice. The male dominated industry of Hip Hop still lacks faith in the female MC.
A few weeks ago I was at a function when a few men started to talk about Hip Hop. This issue having been on my mind for awhile now prompted me to tell the men that there are no new female MCs on the radio and quite frankly Hip Hop, the industry, doesn't seem to give a hoot. The response, by one Bay Area MC, was "Who gives a shit? If there were females dope enough to be heard, they would be." His response angered me. There are most certainly female MCs trying to be heard who are dope enough to be put on. And there are most certainly wack male MCs getting breaded out for spitting garbage!
One might say that just like the women's liberation struggle, only women can uplift women. Thus, the responsibility of putting female MCs into the mainstream falls on the shoulders of women. But the truth is that the heads of major labels, major radio stations are not women. The labels are run by men. It's a man's world.
So, just like with the women's struggle for equality, the challenge to put talented female MCs into the mainstream, requires that men join our cause. If the same ol' cookie cutter gangster, ride or die female MC is what the mainstream allows for, why haven't we had a new one of those in few years? What's the problem?
The entertainment biz is cutthroat. It's musical chairs, there's never enough room for everybody to play. If you are trying to blow up as an MC, the threat that the next MC will take your spot is real, and can happen at any given moment. The public fan base is wishy-washy and easily distracted, often only offering unconditional loyalty after your dead and gone. Investment into an MC can be risky. But with no female MCs to speak of, why not take the leap? Why not offer up something new to a male gangster MC saturated radio line up? Isn't that why Lil' Wayne gave us Drake or why T-Pain resurrected the auto-tune, to come new? The same shit over and over gets played out, that's why T-Pain's auto-tune craze is already falling off.
I am a grown woman. I have kids to raise. The truth is a pain I need in order to arm my children for the real world. The reality that it's a man's world doesn't distract me from other truths, such as, women have the right to be heard, even if it unsettles their men's world.
The truth is that a crop of female MCs to shake up the game would be both a wise financial and cultural investment into the future of Hip Hop. Let's step our game up!
Text: Krista Keating
Check Krista on:
http://www.jzybelle.blogspot.com
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