Too Short: Turns Down Kanye's Beat


Too Short has worked with a score of incredible makers all through his very nearly 40-year vocation, from Jermaine Dupri and Lil Jon to Daz Dillinger and DJ Pooh. However, one major name beatsmith he missed the valuable chance to work with was Kanye West.

During a new meeting with VladTV, the Bay Area legend reviewed Scarface enthusiastically informing him regarding the youthful Chicago-reared beatmaker around the time he was chipping away at his 2002 collection The Fix (which highlighted three beats from Kanye, including "Think about Who's Back"), yet Too $hort essentially wasn't intrigued.

"I recollect Scarface called me. He was in New York, he was like, 'I got the coldest (bleep) maker.' He was discussing Kanye West," he made sense of. "You know everything that I said to him? I was in Atlanta, I said, 'Man, we got every one of the makers with me. I needn't bother with no new makers.'

"What's more, he was like, 'I pledge to God, he's the coldest (bleep) on the planet over here in New York. He's from Chicago.' He let me know his name, everything. He said, '$2,000 a beat. It's the crap!' And I was like, 'Man, we got makers' … I didn't pay attention to him




Exclusive Interview with talented group Moon And Aries





Can you tell us your upbringing?

 

-       Hello, Jordana Moon here. Thanks for having Tom and I in your magazine! Tom and my upbringing was similar in the way we were both surrounded by music. It was a huge part of our daily lives. We both started in piano at an early age. I wasn't very good, not a natural like Tom. I went off to learn the violin and guitar, and then of course, voice lessons. Both Tom and I were in bands - and I was also doing theatre, in our late teens, early 20s.  

 

 

How did Moon and Aries come about ? 

 

-       Tom and I met on Instagram during the beginning phases of the pandemic. Both of us were composing and putting out original music, looking to expand our community. We were both instant fans of each other. I was always looking to collaborate with other producers, and Tom was only releasing instrumentals. I secretly hoped he would want to work with me, and after six months of friendship, the right time came. So summer of 2020, we began to work on The Never Ending Escape, the final song on the album. I was so blown away by his meaningful and theatrical instrumental, I couldn't wait to write the lyrics and sing. Because that song went so well, we knew we had to keep going and see what we could unravel and create together. So we became Moon and Aries. And it was the best musical decision for both of us. 

 

How did the pandemic affect us ?

 

-       Well, it forced us to stay inside and create. And connect with people online and build a very positive, supportive community. The music industry changed during the pandemic, maybe allowing the playing field to feel more leveled out. And just the whole energy of the World. We need creative people to help design a better future. So I guess we felt the call. But what we are hoping to see, is now live music coming back in full force. More festivals and opportunities for indie artists would be amazing. 

 

Tell us about The Arrival

 

-       Gladly :) The whole album is a concept album, a musical, based on the last two years of our lives during this time of heightened fear, faith and ultimately seeing through the illusion. The dark days, then seeing the light and then finally arriving at a new destination, even if it's mainly within. All 9 songs explore a deeper connection with yourself and the outside World, looking at new perspectives, angles and out-side-the-box ways of thinking. Very much rooted in metaphysics and quantum physics and the esoteric. 

 

Do I feel 80s retro synth music has a place on today's industry. 

 

-       It's very whimsical, positively charged music. So it should always be relevant. If we can make 10 new Star Wars movies and keep the old, new again, then nostalgic soundscapes and concepts should stick around too. Why? Because it's good. And good music shouldn't go away just because new genres have come about. Especially since we can't help but be influenced by a time where music was really thriving… 70s, 80s and 90s. Classic, legendary music. But I think most good artists are bringing back nostalgic styles because it just resonates deeper than the typical pop machine.

 

Besides music, what else do we do ?

 

-       Well, we both work day jobs. And we both have kids. Tom is a runner, I run after my son :) We both love to read and research. Watch movies. Be in Nature. 

 

 

Any future plans, future projects

 

-       Yes ! Many. We have a lot of music in the works and will be releasing an EP very soon. Once the World opens up more, we hope for many live performances. That's something we are really working towards. Sharing our music to a live audience will be the best feeling.

 

Closing remarks. 

 

-       Thanks for taking the time to get to know us a little better and helping us to reach more people who could be interested in our music.  We call ourselves the "Synth Pop Opera Duo" because we've combined all of our favorite genres like synthpop, electropop, trip hop, musical theatre, soul and jazz into one. The way I like to write is as if I'm writing a mini Movie. That's where the Opera comes in, alongside Tom's larger than life orchestrations. We enfuse our music with high vibrations so facilitate healing and positive activations in the listener. 



SPOTIFY artist profile

Soundcloud artist profile

Channel moonandaries

IG @moonandaries

www.moonandaries.com

EMAIL moonandaries@gmail.com

Paul and Friends are “Smooth Sailing”

 






So Paul, where you guys are from and can you give us a brief description of you guys background?


>Wow.  Well, you're asking for a lot.  There have been many musicians in "Paul and Friends" over the years.  Many - from two countries.  Perhaps it would be best if I focus on those who are performing on "What's the Matter with That?", which is the tune you have in-hand.  

>“Paul and Friends” is made up of an amazing number of musicians from the New Orleans area, around the US, and around the world.  These are folks with great talents who have lent them to my productions.  
 
>Joe Raines is an incredible vocalist.  He sings lead here and pushes this tune forward.  He is from Ocala, FL, and is a well-known performer, producer, and recording artist in his own right.   He attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL.  He started as a brass player and expanded into keyboards, vocals, leading bands, and studio ownership. Having settled on the Coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Gulfport, MS, he is writing songs and producing tracks for local artists there.  He started Tajarc Productions, Inc. in 2003.   He sings lead on a number of tunes on our album entitled “Smooth Sailing”.  
 
>Paul W. Sammarco (alias Paul Summers, my stage name in Australia) is originally from northeast New Jersey.  I have moved around though - Syracuse, NY; Potsdam, NY; Stony Brook, NY; Jamaica, West Indies; Townsville, Qld., Australia; Canberra, ACT, Australia; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; and Houma, LA.  (Yikes!  Is that enough?)  During my early years, I studied piano, woodwinds, double bass, and guitar.  I began composing at age 11.   I've been arranging, performing, recording, and producing music for myself, my groups, and for others for decades. My works span a wide range of categories, including ballads, easy listening/soft rock, rock, acoustic rock, country-rock, blue-grass, jazz-rock, Christian, etc.  My music has been published by several publishers in the US and Australia - Chappell-Intersong (now Warner-Chappell; APRA), Sydney, Australia; Len Fischer Music (APRA), Canberra, Australia; and now my own company, Endless Shores Music Publishing, USA (ASCAP).  I strive to create quality music designed to be appreciated by generations of listeners, using haunting melodies, meaningful lyrics, and soothing vocal and instrumental arrangements.
 
>Mark Trentecosta plays lead guitar on this tune, with great force.  Get out of the way!  Here comes the train!  He is from Covington, LA.  His delivery is amazing – including his sense of timing, melodic movement, and integration with the rest of the players.  Mark has played in many bands, including “Benny Grunch”, for decades.  He now has a guitar studio in Covington, LA where he teaches.  He is a much sought-after musician.  His playing on this tune shows why. I have also featured him a number of other tunes which have received a lot of airplay, and we continue to work together.  

>Roger Kimball is the saxophonist here.  He has been a stalwart of Paul and Friends since inception, and I am so proud to have worked with him for decades.  He just keeps getting better and better. He lived in Houma, LA for many years and now lives in Edmond, OK.  Roger studied woodwinds at Nicholls State University for his bachelor’s and master’s degree.  He has played in many bands, including “Harry Connick, Jr.”, “Soul Survivors”, and “NiteLife”.  He may be heard on many of the tunes on all of our albums – “Hang On to Your Dreams”, “Smooth Sailing”, and “Journey of the Heart”.  And we're working on more tunes together now.  
 
>Clyde Pellegrin plays keyboard on this tune.  Let the rhythm shine through!  He is a master at the keyboard and has had numerous bands in the past in South Louisiana.  He has also served as Musical Director for a number of musicals. He lives in Houma, LA.  

Whose idea was it to come up with the album title, What's the matter with that?

>Actually, "What's the Matter with That?" is the name of the single.  The name of the album is "Smooth Sailing".  "What's the Matter with That?" is an anti-nuclear weapon song.  It is a plea from the common man to dispense with these incredibly powerful weapons and remove them from our arsenals.  They are incredibly destructive and can kill hundreds of thousands of people at a time.  They also pollute the air, water, and land with radioactive materials for very long periods of time.  In the years following a drop, cancer rates skyrocket.  Plutonium is an element which we made in the laboratory to assist in the construction of these bombs.  It is highly radioactive, with a long half-life.  Did you know that the probability of contracting cancer after coming into contact with only the smallest amount of plutonium is 100%.  

>The point of the song is to say, leave us alone.  All we want to do is lead our lives.  And you don't really want these weapons anyway.  You just wave them around and threaten other countries to make yourself appear stronger.  But - if we go down, and you go down too - because everyone goes down.  No planet.  

>"Smooth Sailing", on the other hand, is the song which is the title track of the album.  It is a 5-6 part a capella vocal piece.  Most of the music on this CD is what I call smooth rock.  Smooth harmonies, easy running melodies, and meaningful lyrics.  

With it being so many artists on this project, how would you describe the creative process?

>Hmmm.  Well, here's the process.  I basically write the song solo.  That's where I start.  Then I score the arrangement, defining what instruments I'd like to use and their parts.  I use partially scored parts, and partially improv parts.  Then I contact the various musicians in the band who play those instruments and invite them in for a session.  Finding a date that suits all of the musicians, our beautiful studio, and my schedule is often a challenge; but we get there.  Then we track the instrumentals.  It takes time.  Then we put the vocals down.  Sometimes I need to record and produce from remote studios in other states or other countries because the musicians can't make it to our specific session.  After all that, I spend months in the studio mixing the tune to make it right.  

If someone just discovered you guys music, what would be the main selling point to win over the fans?

>I think the main selling points would be - 

    -    Quality popular music, with a wide variety - lots of great vocals.
    -    Easy on the ear material
    -    A positive and "up" stage show.  

Do you guys plan on touring anytime soon?

>We've been primarily recording band since inception.  That was the model (like Steely Dan).  But we've had more and more pressure on us to play live - including suggestions that we do the New Orleans Jazz Fest.  I'd love to do this.  We now have a growing fan base due to radio airplay, just on the basis of the quality of our music.  I do not hype the band much.  My philosophy is to let the listener's ear make the decision as to whether he/she likes the music or not.  The stage show is the next step up - and it should be great.  

Besides music, what kind of things are you guys into?

>Hmmmm.  OK, I'll start with myself.  I am also a marine scientist/marine biologist/coral reef ecologist.  I have spent most of my life doing that, while writing and recording as well.  Roger Kimball is also a professional whiz computer programmer and analyst.  He's just as good at that as he is on sax.  Clyde Pellegrin is also an Independent Marketing Director at Team National.  Joe Raines is entirely immersed in music, as is Mark Trentecosta.  

Besides the band, who are some of the notable people who had helped you along the way?

>Another hard question.  I have had many excellent music teachers along the way.  In school and in private study.  Orchestra leaders, choir directors, numerous independent instrumental instructors.  And then there are all the musicians I have worked with over the years.  Amazing.  I have been challenged.  I always feel that I have to make my compositions and arrangements worthy enough for these musicians to play - because they're pro's.  So I work hard on that before distributing their scores.  Influences:  Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, Steely Dan, Earth Wind and Fire, Chicago, Billy Fields, Kenny Rankin, Michael Franks, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, The Youngbloods, etc., etc.  

What can we expect from you in the near future?

>We're working on a new album now.  I don't have a title for it yet.  That usually comes later.  But it will be a mixture of originals plus beautiful old jazz standards which I have totally revamped.  I believe it will be a beautiful album.  

Any last remarks?

>I'm not sure.  Only that I do my best to produce real quality music for the listener.  The band enjoys recording it, and we enjoy working together.  I guess it was just meant to be.  


>Best Wishes,

>Paul W. Sammarco (of "Paul and Friends")


Check out Adub Nati emerging Indie Artist

 


 Alrick L.J. Warner better known by his stage name Adub Nati is an American songwriter/ rapper. A First generation son of two West Indian immigrants from St. Kitts & Nevis. He was Born In Houston, Texas, and raised in several neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati, Ohio. Adub Nati attended and graduated Princeton High School in Cincinnati. Started rapping listening to others that sounded like they were rapping about his life. Wants to keep positive / conscious messages in his music. His debut project, the "No Plan B" mixtape was released late 2015.

Music Links

DaeMarcus is Making Waves New Indie Rock Record



DaeMarcus is Making Waves New Indie Rock Record 


The new record from DaeMarcus has been making its way up the grapevine and we just got wind of it. 

This is a record that goes in depth with words and packs a bit of a pop punch and have a strong base of acoustic guitar and keys. 

It features 10 songs with all kinds of effects and storylines that come with them so you can connect the dots as the record plays. 

It can best be described as edgy, poppy, and with some personal insight as well. 

You can hear this full record on the DaeMarcus Spotify page or you can go to the DaeMarcus website itself but you will want to listen to the whole album this time. 

Artist Bio: DaeMarcus is the brainchild of songwriter Adam Araujo. The songwriter's love for music began at the age of 5 when his brother showed him The Beatles "Penny Lane". It wasn't long after that Araujo began writing his own songs.

 

The artist began playing in bands and performed in his high school's Battle of the Bands show where Araujo was the lead singer. The band won the battle of the bands covering songs from Green Day and Rush alike. 

 

It was that show that he realized he wanted music to be a bigger part of his life. 


From there Araujo began recording his original songs and working on his technique as a songwriter and recording artist. Engineering his own material and honing his style and approach, the artist has been building his home studio and focusing on creating songs.

 

The Trials & Errors album is a testimony to where he is at with his music right now. 

 

Trials & Errors is available on all digital streaming outlets now and DaeMarcus is always working on new material for upcoming releases.

 

To learn more of DaeMarcus please visit: Daemarcus


Prince Lit Exclusive Interview “A very interesting life”





  So Prince Lit, can you tell us a little bit of your upbriging? Where are from and how you made it to this point?

 So I am from Denver, Colorado. I would say I have had the experience and benefits of growing up unstable. I've been able to learn that true growth only comes from being uncomfortable. My family and I moved from place to place sometimes state to state looking for a new start growing up, we never really were a family that had it all together. although we were Christian and went to church only when we could, the hardship still excisted my mom was rapped and kept me; although her first experience with that happened when my big brother came into the picture. 

I was born into calamity and Grace my mother was always playing catch up so we could never really be there (in a place of comfort.)


My still currently single mom tried to be in multiple relationship raising us and of course when the next one came along while we were growing up my 3 siblings and I thought everything would get better but there was always something flawed and we always searched it out and addressed it. Of course being in another relationship is beneficial financially and was to my mother to why I think my mom was grinding to be with help and 4 children.


it's deeply touching knowing you sold your mom's poetry for food; can you tell us a little bit about your mom and that experience?

Eventually after years of grind it was my little brother and I in the house. And praise Jesus for my mom she taught us how to get what we need and the Word taken into account that we didn't have a structured life; we got off of school and went and made money. My brother at the time being a math genius would walk into local business and challenge people to give him any math problem for money while I played security for a 10 year old. I also sold copies and performed my mom's poetry for money. When we made lots of money we would pocket some then give some to my mom.

I was a very free young man with money in my pocket, I spent most of my time going on dates watching Hollywood flix at the Denver pavilions in Downtown, Denver. I was hanging out with friends downtown paying for everyone's food i had no time for homework I was living what every teen could think was a dream.

We found ourselves as a family my mom my little brother and I living in a 3 star motel because that was all we could afford we had hit rough times depression struck our family hard and the only joy my brother and I had was the rec center where we could swim for free cause we stayed at the hotel. Both my brother and I were watching our mom and believed that she might hurt herself from things we've seen. One night we came back from swimming and she was gone so we called our sister who told us to call the cops. The authorities got involved and took my mom to the hospital and we stayed with our sister for a night from there we found ourselves at a place called the Family crisis center. I told them I wanted to commit suicide saying such things means you don't wanna be there! they made me stay in a time of need medication was a choice for force therapy. I was on 300 mg of seraquil twice a day I was 14 years old when life got cloudy.

I moved from home to home in the Foster care system so there was no fix of being stable the family crisis Center being a residential treatment facility was homebase and I always made sure I was level 5 on their level program on good behavior because we got the most privledges. I was a free teen prisoner with extra sheets for his 5 inch bed and concrete walls, and one who needed help staying alive. All my physical needs were taken care of I was high and needed to be high to stay numb to the real issues no one wanted to address. which was the fact that our family hit rough times and needed resources not ultimatums; When families ask for help the help needs to be



We understand you do Gospel music, what made you choose that genre?

BIn all of these trials Jesus sent a non profit organization into my life called Art From Ashes who is a non profit organization that empowers struggling youth by providing creatives programs that facilitate health and hope through expression connection and transformation through spoken Word Poetry.

The workshop facilitators would provide these creative three minute writing prompts that you write three minutes straight to with no stop at all and if you stop the facilitators we're there to encourage you. and that for some reason accessed a Spirit I always had. My mom told me I would just sit at the dinner table tryna come up with rhymes. After we wrote these three minute poems we would get up and perform it in front of the other youth who are in the same environment which provides connection. and being able to connect with a people is healing. 

From there they believed my Poetry was special for some reason and they started inviting me to perform on other stages and at there private events which in turn connected me with other organizations and people who wanted the same thing I began to perform all across Colorado and eventually internationally to Prague Europe and Nicaragua by the grace of the Lord, Jesus.

Within this process counting on my fingers there was a group of people who believed I should turn my Poetry into Music. So I enquired more to make sure people were not playing with me. At this point it was confirmed and I began to record my first track at decible Garden studios in Denver, Colorado admitted in my old life I scwandered my gift on basic principles such as drugs, money, and woman and lived so to my destruction. Things I wish people growing up in the system would of told me such things would happen to my soul if I choose to live in such a way as the prodigal son.


Being a Christian, i understand we all sin; could you give the crowd some motivation on how to stay in God's grace?

I was a rapper but not a Christian one i thought i had finally made it to the place in my life as I saw successful enough to continue to numb the pain with no direction. I had made it to New York City's America's number one Hip Hop and R&B showcase, I was alone in my hotel depressed with no support...
I was watching television and flipped past a sermon about the Sabbath day... Then flipped right back. From there I was glued to the television and I picked up my Bible to read and live the word and haven't put it down  or stopped walking sense.

I eventually joined Art From Ashes board of directors and became a writing workshop facilitator myself empowering struggling youth with not only my testimony through Spoken Word poetry in writing workshops but also facilitating my own creative prompts.

By the Grace of Jesus he has done more with the music for his Glory and is doing above what I can ask or think.
Yes the life I lived not edifying God is a life I had to sacrifice; so i had to go to war and make cuts in my spirit and physical life with my friends to actually want to live and gain new life in Christ in some ways I always like to believe my healing has just begun.

Jesus has been the only salvation for suicide specifically and all other things

With faith in the Lord Jesus and his Word mixed with faith in my Heart I pray people hear the Gospel I pray people hear the Lord and turn from their ways into his Body.

Today Im able to Tour with the Extreme Tour who's homebase is in Nashville Tennessee I know that it hasn't entered into my heart what the Lord hath prepared for those who love him but I trust he will continue to elevate mine and those lives until he comes because he who glories can only Glory in the Lord.

If there was a more simple way to say but all we like sheep have gone astray.
This is something I apply to my life everyday I've never had a Father and I've always searched for direction, a whole system was suppose to fill in the cracks but no man other than Jesus is salvation. I found this out when the system fell through my cracks.


Could you tell us about your latest project?

My Latest Project is Prince Lit - Salt World which was made after Prince Lit- Known.

Known is a message God put on my Spirit which is his Holy Spirit. There is one judge of the living and one judge of the dead we cannot judge man after the flesh but need to be ready to recieve God's message in any vessel he sees fit to use. We live in a day where everyday is uncertain but one day is certain and we cannot desire that day but wait for the coming of the Lord living in his grace and love he tarry's because he is merciful the people who hold the Gospel in there hearts have more work to do.

Do you plan on touring any time soon?
 plan on Touring again this summer with the Extreme Tour.