Here's something you might be interested in.
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Rock to Riches: Financial Secrets of Rock Stars, plus Local Hip-Hop Artists Call For Unity (and, ideally, no more shootings), more
Get Rich the Rock Star Way & more
Contents
Rock to Riches: Local’s Book Teaches Rock Star Secrets of Financial Success
Local Hip-Hop Artists Call For Unity (and, ideally, no more shootings…)
An Extreme Elvis is a Naked Elvis
Celebrity House Hunting: George Harrison and David Gates Shopped for Local Homes
Judge Judy VS the Belly Up Tavern
Backstage Rider Collection: Deep Inside 50 Star Dressing Rooms
Backstage Rider on the Storm: He Removes the Brown M&Ms
Backstage Raider: He Mooches Meals from Rock Stars
GigSanDiego.com – New Local Musician Resource, courtesy Ike Turner drummer Bill Ray
Judas Priest’s “Nostradamus” – my prediction….
ROCK TO RICHES – LOCAL TEACHES ROCK STAR SECRETS OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS
“You can learn a lot about funding from David Bowie, and about branding from Dave Matthews,” says local drummer and author Lee Silber. His new book Rock to Riches, co-written with Andrew Chapman, is a tutorial on what he describes as “Building your own business the rock and roll way. Learning important business lessons about multiple income streaming from Jimmy Buffett is much more interesting and fun than trying to learn from [wealthy investor] Warren Buffett.”
According to Silber, “If you look at the most successful recording artists, many are also astute business people. Madonna, Kiss, and Garth Brooks have all been smart with their money, and not afraid to market themselves and profit from their efforts.”
The San Diego native - an avid surfer - started his first business at age eleven, repainting his neighbors’ mailboxes, later launching a successful chain of surf shops with his two brothers called Waves and Wheels Surfcenters. His first book, The Guide to Dating in San Diego, was followed by thirteen more books, with Rock to Riches being the first of a two-volume deal with Capital Books.
“The thing I stress most is being systematic and getting organized. I’ve learned a lot about being organized, despite my natural, right-brain tendency to want to hang onto everything I have ever owned or borrowed, and keep it out where I can see it.”
“The way I operate now, and what I teach, is that if it’s not on a list, it doesn’t exist.”
Silber's co-author is Andrew Chapman. "Andrew and I met a LONG time ago at a booksigning I was doing at the Barnes and Noble in Encinitas," says Silber. "We hit it off right away since he is also an author and a musician. In fact, we are teaming up on another book right now for Career Press. The idea for Rock To Riches was Andrew's, but because of my prior success in publishing and enthusiasm for the topic, we teamed up."
Regarding their joint writing methods, Silber says "Nobody would ever be able to tell, but Andrew and I wrote entire chapters by ourselves. I can barely remember which is which when reading it now. We worked to our strengths. You also may never be able to tell (but I thought I'd mention it) that Andrew prefers KISS, head-banger music, and more or the modern bands while I like everything from the seventies. I also went WAY back to pull examples from early rock stars, too."
The book is published by Capital Books, based on the east coast. "Our goal for the Rock to Riches book is to sell out of the first printing as fast as possible. That's why I am so thrilled you may be able to get us some much needed exposure in the Reader, the only paper local musicians really read."
The book's Abbey Road-inspired cover certainly conjures up the notion of rock star riches (tho not even Sir Paul McCartney was rich enough to buy back the Beatles' publishing - I wonder how hard he's laughing now at the financial woes of the guy who outbid him, Michael Jackson?). Says Silber, "In the [book cover] photo, my wife is John Lennon, I'm Ringo, and Andrew Chapman is George Harrison."
For more on Lee Silber and Rock to Riches, checkout today’s new Blurt column….
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/dec/10/blurt1
LOCAL HIP-HOP ARTISTS CALL FOR UNITY (and, ideally, no more shootings...)
“The local underground hip-hop community is trying to organize a day where we all unite in one place, to take a photograph as one,” says local promoter Jimmy Powers. “Right now, the date is scheduled for a Saturday in March. There could end up being well over a hundred people there who are involved in San Diego hip-hop!”
http://www.accesshiphop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29093
“My plan,” says Powers, “is to help raise awareness by making a positive impact on the community and showing people that hip-hop does not always need to be viewed in a negative light. I have planned, organized and managed around twenty live music events this year without incident at numerous venues throughout the city, with turnout ranging from 75 to 200 people.”
Also focusing on local unity is Brick by Brick’s new monthly hip-hop showcase, Live – MassFyre Presents. Each edition features up to nine acts, with each allotted 20 minutes each to throw down.
“The concept was conceived while attending this year’s San Diego Music Awards,” says 40oz Chris, who co- books the series with hip-hop artists Young Mass and Kayo. “Mass approached me from a smoked-out truck in the Viejas parking lot with the idea. Apparently, his entourage was smoking a high-grade tobacco called Humboldt County Golem, and chugging Jager Bombs…After Mass broke down the idea, we all agreed that it is a shame so many great hip-hop artists in San Diego get little to no chance to shine live. Kayo and I put together the plan, scheduled a meeting, and were ecstatic to score a residency.”
Chris invites aspiring performers to contact him at [email protected]. “[Our] focus will be on booking the freshest and most active of underground, independent, and developing artists, from all parts of the city,” he says.
Chris, Mass, and Kayo made an earlier attempt at a local all-inclusive hip-hop “unity” event, a “DayGo Unity Concert,” but that one didn’t go so well…
“The Static Lounge show was great, until that shooting during the last set by Cherry Chuck Gang,” says 40oz Chris, who helped promote the August 7 DayGo Unity event. The downtown show ended with a shooting in front of the club, wherein an off duty police officer working security was shot in the neck while breaking up a fight.
“Kayo co-promoted that show, and the club owner was upset about the smashed hookahs and bullet holes,” says Chris.
“We got Bloods and Crips all performing on the same bill,” Kayo told the Reader before the event. Kayo’s record label On Fyre Entertainment launched the DayGo Unity show, hoping to “unite the divisive local factions in the hip-hop community.”
The injured officer was moonlighting as security when a fight inside the venue spilled onto the sidewalk shortly after 1 a.m. While attempting to separate several combatants, gunshots were heard, and the officer received a non-life threatening wound in the neck. He was taken to the hospital.
“As a promoter, we were trying to take every pre-caution to ensure safety,” Kayo said via email after the shooting. “It was some young knuckle headed females who jumped off the BS, throwing drinks and stuff. That set the event off. We had the music stopped, security intervened, the crowd was segregated, and the show continued, and everyone was still on Unity, but the alcohol got the best of few and some were disrespected. So when the females started fighting again, it went all bad. I was on stage with Tiny Doo and the rest of the Cherry Chuck Gang, and we were showing love to the other side [Crips]… Next thing you know, females [were] at it again, now everyone involved [were] trying to get outside, then gunshots. Unbelievable.”
“Let it be known,” insists Kayo, “this was not some Blood VS Crip feud. Everybody in the event was feelin’ it. I have never seen so many different gang signs thrown in one room, so close to each other, with no ill favor. Everyone in the place had love, and was there for the music. All it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch; in this case, it was two or three. There were OGs from just about every SouthEast San Diego set. It was some young dude, who felt played, tryna earn some credit. He will be in jail for a long time now. Don't get it wrong, although we didn't want NO DRAMA, a fight was prepared for and would have been resolved effectively due to security. But, as prepared as we were, we weren't expecting a shooting.”
According to Kayo, “The man who had fired the gun was kicked out earlier in the night for aggressive behavior, security was called into the club to stop the fight between the brawling females when the shots were fired outside the club, the man had gone back to his car and retrieved his weapon, he then proceeded outside the club and fired six shots, only 1 hitting one of the ODOs [Off Duty Officers] hired by the club promoters just for this night. The club performed pat-downs, wanding, and had a no hat, no du-rag, no plain T-shirts, no baggy clothes, and no gang attire policy for the night.”
Young Mass, despite promoting a kindler and gentler unity among rappers, doesn’t shy away from admitting that he still gets p-ssed off sometimes.
“I can’t take this disrespect from none of them stick up the ass Aftermath niggas,” he told the Reader, talking about one-time collaborators Dr. Dre and Dre’s studio staff at Aftermath Entertainment.
“Karma swings around, regardless of who a muthaf-cka is. Dre, Jay-Z, Pac, Big, them, me, whoever. Every label has felt the karma for being on top and treating niggas like sh-t.” Mass took part in recording sessions at the Aftermath studio, for Dre’s new album Detox.
Keith Woods at Massterpiece Entertainment says Mass is angry about “the disrespect Dr. Dre and the Aftermath staff showed for Mass’ musicianship.” Mass got to know Dre during his three years of employment at Dre’s Rockhardbody gym in Woodland Hills.
“After his employment at the exclusive yet troubled business,” says Woods, “Mass was invited into Aftermath’s studio…After laying down some of his best lyrical work, Mass was unexplainably blackballed from the studio.”
That’s not all Mass is mad about. According to Woods, “Many of Mass’ masters are being bogarted by several studios he recorded at over his five-year recording career with Digital Underground. Various songs had to be withheld from Mass’ self-titled debut album, do to the poor quality of the copies in Mass’ possession.”
In addition, “Mass is also perplexed at why he has not been receiving royalties and/or proper credit for work on several projects including his production work on the Sex and the Studio XXX DVD series, and 25 to Life video game soundtracks.”
When not mad or perplexed, there is one thing that makes Mass happy. Rap impresario Marion “Suge” Knight came to San Diego’s downtown club Aubergine, to talk with Mass about possibly executive-producing Mass’ next album.
Mass says a follow-up meeting with Knight was scheduled in L.A., to discuss his career contentions, but the meeting was delayed after Knight’s altercation at a Hollywood nightclub that left him bloodied and laying on a sidewalk.
Says Mass, “If my big homie Suge can lend me some assistance on these issues, and the new album, my skills will handle the rest.”
From http://www.myspace.com/recordbreakercharts: San Diego MC Blame One (www.myspace.com/rudebwoyblame) released his new digital single “Disturbed ft Sean Price & Exile” November 11th, off his upcoming album Days Chasing Days, due out in the first quarter of 2009 on Soulspazm Records. He is currently charted at number 19 on college radio stations throughout the country.
Congrats to local hip-hop duo Nature of the Beast for having the most-downloaded mp3 from SDReader.com for November. MarkmyWords and DJ Sinn have a one-on-one interview with Ollie, nearly a month after his "lukewarm review" of Homeland Security. They cut through the lyrics – and some tension – in this week's Hometown CD Review.
Ten songs by local artists that define San Diego hip-hop
Young Mass f/Digital Underground - “Blue Skyy” (Young Mass)
Kayo - “Mill Sh-t” (One Hundred Percent Hustle)
Jayo Felony - “Whatcha Gonna Do?” (Whatcha Gonna Do?)
Mitchy Slick - “Drug Flippin” (Urban Survival Syndrome)
Mitchy Slick - “Regular Nigg’n” (Triggeration Station)
Cherry Chuck Gang - “Beer N Big” (Cherry Chuck Gang)
Smigg Dirtee f/C.G., & Dago Braves - “Push” (Forgotten City)
Play B. f/Young Mass, & Kayo - “Angel” (Unreleased)
Dido Brown/Bonafide Camp f/Domino -“California” (Independent Out The Trunk)
Tre "Tha Bizness" (The Real)
http://www.myspace.com/massterpiece http://www.youngmass.com
http://www.myspace.com/beatsbykayo<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
http://www.myspace.com/jpowers
RELATED LINKS
WHERE'S THE READER'S HIP-HOP COVERAGE?
Wal-Marts, Best Buys, and Strip Clubs - Everyone performing at the Casbah’s first local rap showcase next month was nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category at this year’s San Diego Music Awards — everyone except Kayo..... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/nov/19/blurt4
Let It Flow - Hip-hop artist MC Flow -- a.k.a. Abby Schwartz -- raps about politics and women's issues. Though she won a 2007 San Diego Music Award for Best Hip-Hop, many locals cried foul to see a white Jewish woman take home that particular prize.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/sep/27/flow-ithttp://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/young-mass
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/kayo
EXTREME ELVIS = NAKED ELVIS
Extreme Elvis doesn’t play San Diego much any more. “I’m banned from all the clubs in town. They booted me off the stage at one place [Brick By Brick] after about five minutes. As soon as they saw my d-ck, in fact.”
Extreme Elvis tends to perform in the nude. Not a pretty sight, judging from the press photos showing the nearly 300 pound EE onstage wearing a pompadour and wraparound shades, his spangled jumpsuit around his knees, holding a mike with one hand and using his other hand to fondle a somewhat underwhelming endowment - as he urinates into the audience.
Other than San Francisco (“There’s still a few places there willing to take a chance on me”), EE has trouble getting gigs in most cities. “LA is crazy. The first time we played there, a fan came right up to the edge of the stage and opened his mouth to receive my piss. He then filled up his cheeks and sprayed my golden nectar like a fine mist all over the band. My keyboard player quit a couple weeks later.”
“The third time I played LA, it was opening for the Butthole Surfers at the Viper Room. The club faxed me this contract the day before the show that had all sorts of lame rules, including no piss of course and no male nudity…so I signed the contract and then played the show. Last song of the night, I pissed all over the contract and they 86d me. They tried to arrest me, but the cops let me off with a warning.”
Extreme Elvis sometimes supplements his meager performance income by interviewing bands for indie zines like Burn My Eye. After chatting with members of the Locust, EE offered a harsh summation of the San Diego angst rockers. “I had never heard of them before. Controversial? Why? They seemed pretty hung up on their images. Like anorexic teenage girls or aging Hollywood divas. Here they were doing the all-ages show circuit, touring with riot grrls, Bratmobile and selling tons of stylish merch. Where's the controversy? They struck me as a bunch of guys who would all end up settling down, buying homes and starting Radiohead tribute bands in five or ten years. F-ck those guys!”
CELEBRITY HOUSE HUNTING IN SAN DIEGO -
JUDGE JUDY TAKES ON THE BELLY UP TAVERN -
BACKSTAGE RIDER COLLECTION -
BACKSTAGE RIDER ON THE STORM: He Removes the Brown M&Ms Or "Ray Charles Demands a Chicken Fried Steak" - an interview with the Backstage Rider who fulfilled celeb contracts at Humphrey's, the Catamaran, and other San Diego music venues.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/19/backstage-diplomat-he-removes-the-brown-mms
BACKSTAGE RAIDER - HE MOOCHES MEALS FROM ROCK STARS - How one local transient practically lived off backstage buffets.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/19/backstage-moocher-living-off-rock-stars
NEW LOCAL MUSICIAN ONLINE RESOURCE - courtesy of Ike Turner and Tubby drummer Bill Ray, who is also giving away drum tracks at billysbeats.com ---- for FREE.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/24/gigsandiego-new-musician-resource-courtesy-bill-ra
JUDAS PRIEST'S NOSTRADAMUS - Remember when kids crashed the gates at SDSU, just to see Priest? A lot's changed since then - my predictions.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/25/judas-priests-nostradamus-my-prediction
Like this blog? Here are some related links:
OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/
FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/
SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic
JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford
Here's something you might be interested in.
Rock to Riches: Financial Secrets of Rock Stars, plus Local Hip-Hop Artists Call For Unity (and, ideally, no more shootings), more
Get Rich the Rock Star Way & more
Contents
Rock to Riches: Local’s Book Teaches Rock Star Secrets of Financial Success
Local Hip-Hop Artists Call For Unity (and, ideally, no more shootings…)
An Extreme Elvis is a Naked Elvis
Celebrity House Hunting: George Harrison and David Gates Shopped for Local Homes
Judge Judy VS the Belly Up Tavern
Backstage Rider Collection: Deep Inside 50 Star Dressing Rooms
Backstage Rider on the Storm: He Removes the Brown M&Ms
Backstage Raider: He Mooches Meals from Rock Stars
GigSanDiego.com – New Local Musician Resource, courtesy Ike Turner drummer Bill Ray
Judas Priest’s “Nostradamus” – my prediction….
ROCK TO RICHES – LOCAL TEACHES ROCK STAR SECRETS OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS
“You can learn a lot about funding from David Bowie, and about branding from Dave Matthews,” says local drummer and author Lee Silber. His new book Rock to Riches, co-written with Andrew Chapman, is a tutorial on what he describes as “Building your own business the rock and roll way. Learning important business lessons about multiple income streaming from Jimmy Buffett is much more interesting and fun than trying to learn from [wealthy investor] Warren Buffett.”
According to Silber, “If you look at the most successful recording artists, many are also astute business people. Madonna, Kiss, and Garth Brooks have all been smart with their money, and not afraid to market themselves and profit from their efforts.”
The San Diego native - an avid surfer - started his first business at age eleven, repainting his neighbors’ mailboxes, later launching a successful chain of surf shops with his two brothers called Waves and Wheels Surfcenters. His first book, The Guide to Dating in San Diego, was followed by thirteen more books, with Rock to Riches being the first of a two-volume deal with Capital Books.
“The thing I stress most is being systematic and getting organized. I’ve learned a lot about being organized, despite my natural, right-brain tendency to want to hang onto everything I have ever owned or borrowed, and keep it out where I can see it.”
“The way I operate now, and what I teach, is that if it’s not on a list, it doesn’t exist.”
Silber's co-author is Andrew Chapman. "Andrew and I met a LONG time ago at a booksigning I was doing at the Barnes and Noble in Encinitas," says Silber. "We hit it off right away since he is also an author and a musician. In fact, we are teaming up on another book right now for Career Press. The idea for Rock To Riches was Andrew's, but because of my prior success in publishing and enthusiasm for the topic, we teamed up."
Regarding their joint writing methods, Silber says "Nobody would ever be able to tell, but Andrew and I wrote entire chapters by ourselves. I can barely remember which is which when reading it now. We worked to our strengths. You also may never be able to tell (but I thought I'd mention it) that Andrew prefers KISS, head-banger music, and more or the modern bands while I like everything from the seventies. I also went WAY back to pull examples from early rock stars, too."
The book is published by Capital Books, based on the east coast. "Our goal for the Rock to Riches book is to sell out of the first printing as fast as possible. That's why I am so thrilled you may be able to get us some much needed exposure in the Reader, the only paper local musicians really read."
The book's Abbey Road-inspired cover certainly conjures up the notion of rock star riches (tho not even Sir Paul McCartney was rich enough to buy back the Beatles' publishing - I wonder how hard he's laughing now at the financial woes of the guy who outbid him, Michael Jackson?). Says Silber, "In the [book cover] photo, my wife is John Lennon, I'm Ringo, and Andrew Chapman is George Harrison."
For more on Lee Silber and Rock to Riches, checkout today’s new Blurt column….
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/dec/10/blurt1
LOCAL HIP-HOP ARTISTS CALL FOR UNITY (and, ideally, no more shootings...)
“The local underground hip-hop community is trying to organize a day where we all unite in one place, to take a photograph as one,” says local promoter Jimmy Powers. “Right now, the date is scheduled for a Saturday in March. There could end up being well over a hundred people there who are involved in San Diego hip-hop!”
http://www.accesshiphop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29093
“My plan,” says Powers, “is to help raise awareness by making a positive impact on the community and showing people that hip-hop does not always need to be viewed in a negative light. I have planned, organized and managed around twenty live music events this year without incident at numerous venues throughout the city, with turnout ranging from 75 to 200 people.”
Also focusing on local unity is Brick by Brick’s new monthly hip-hop showcase, Live – MassFyre Presents. Each edition features up to nine acts, with each allotted 20 minutes each to throw down.
“The concept was conceived while attending this year’s San Diego Music Awards,” says 40oz Chris, who co- books the series with hip-hop artists Young Mass and Kayo. “Mass approached me from a smoked-out truck in the Viejas parking lot with the idea. Apparently, his entourage was smoking a high-grade tobacco called Humboldt County Golem, and chugging Jager Bombs…After Mass broke down the idea, we all agreed that it is a shame so many great hip-hop artists in San Diego get little to no chance to shine live. Kayo and I put together the plan, scheduled a meeting, and were ecstatic to score a residency.”
Chris invites aspiring performers to contact him at [email protected]. “[Our] focus will be on booking the freshest and most active of underground, independent, and developing artists, from all parts of the city,” he says.
Chris, Mass, and Kayo made an earlier attempt at a local all-inclusive hip-hop “unity” event, a “DayGo Unity Concert,” but that one didn’t go so well…
“The Static Lounge show was great, until that shooting during the last set by Cherry Chuck Gang,” says 40oz Chris, who helped promote the August 7 DayGo Unity event. The downtown show ended with a shooting in front of the club, wherein an off duty police officer working security was shot in the neck while breaking up a fight.
“Kayo co-promoted that show, and the club owner was upset about the smashed hookahs and bullet holes,” says Chris.
“We got Bloods and Crips all performing on the same bill,” Kayo told the Reader before the event. Kayo’s record label On Fyre Entertainment launched the DayGo Unity show, hoping to “unite the divisive local factions in the hip-hop community.”
The injured officer was moonlighting as security when a fight inside the venue spilled onto the sidewalk shortly after 1 a.m. While attempting to separate several combatants, gunshots were heard, and the officer received a non-life threatening wound in the neck. He was taken to the hospital.
“As a promoter, we were trying to take every pre-caution to ensure safety,” Kayo said via email after the shooting. “It was some young knuckle headed females who jumped off the BS, throwing drinks and stuff. That set the event off. We had the music stopped, security intervened, the crowd was segregated, and the show continued, and everyone was still on Unity, but the alcohol got the best of few and some were disrespected. So when the females started fighting again, it went all bad. I was on stage with Tiny Doo and the rest of the Cherry Chuck Gang, and we were showing love to the other side [Crips]… Next thing you know, females [were] at it again, now everyone involved [were] trying to get outside, then gunshots. Unbelievable.”
“Let it be known,” insists Kayo, “this was not some Blood VS Crip feud. Everybody in the event was feelin’ it. I have never seen so many different gang signs thrown in one room, so close to each other, with no ill favor. Everyone in the place had love, and was there for the music. All it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch; in this case, it was two or three. There were OGs from just about every SouthEast San Diego set. It was some young dude, who felt played, tryna earn some credit. He will be in jail for a long time now. Don't get it wrong, although we didn't want NO DRAMA, a fight was prepared for and would have been resolved effectively due to security. But, as prepared as we were, we weren't expecting a shooting.”
According to Kayo, “The man who had fired the gun was kicked out earlier in the night for aggressive behavior, security was called into the club to stop the fight between the brawling females when the shots were fired outside the club, the man had gone back to his car and retrieved his weapon, he then proceeded outside the club and fired six shots, only 1 hitting one of the ODOs [Off Duty Officers] hired by the club promoters just for this night. The club performed pat-downs, wanding, and had a no hat, no du-rag, no plain T-shirts, no baggy clothes, and no gang attire policy for the night.”
Young Mass, despite promoting a kindler and gentler unity among rappers, doesn’t shy away from admitting that he still gets p-ssed off sometimes.
“I can’t take this disrespect from none of them stick up the ass Aftermath niggas,” he told the Reader, talking about one-time collaborators Dr. Dre and Dre’s studio staff at Aftermath Entertainment.
“Karma swings around, regardless of who a muthaf-cka is. Dre, Jay-Z, Pac, Big, them, me, whoever. Every label has felt the karma for being on top and treating niggas like sh-t.” Mass took part in recording sessions at the Aftermath studio, for Dre’s new album Detox.
Keith Woods at Massterpiece Entertainment says Mass is angry about “the disrespect Dr. Dre and the Aftermath staff showed for Mass’ musicianship.” Mass got to know Dre during his three years of employment at Dre’s Rockhardbody gym in Woodland Hills.
“After his employment at the exclusive yet troubled business,” says Woods, “Mass was invited into Aftermath’s studio…After laying down some of his best lyrical work, Mass was unexplainably blackballed from the studio.”
That’s not all Mass is mad about. According to Woods, “Many of Mass’ masters are being bogarted by several studios he recorded at over his five-year recording career with Digital Underground. Various songs had to be withheld from Mass’ self-titled debut album, do to the poor quality of the copies in Mass’ possession.”
In addition, “Mass is also perplexed at why he has not been receiving royalties and/or proper credit for work on several projects including his production work on the Sex and the Studio XXX DVD series, and 25 to Life video game soundtracks.”
When not mad or perplexed, there is one thing that makes Mass happy. Rap impresario Marion “Suge” Knight came to San Diego’s downtown club Aubergine, to talk with Mass about possibly executive-producing Mass’ next album.
Mass says a follow-up meeting with Knight was scheduled in L.A., to discuss his career contentions, but the meeting was delayed after Knight’s altercation at a Hollywood nightclub that left him bloodied and laying on a sidewalk.
Says Mass, “If my big homie Suge can lend me some assistance on these issues, and the new album, my skills will handle the rest.”
From http://www.myspace.com/recordbreakercharts: San Diego MC Blame One (www.myspace.com/rudebwoyblame) released his new digital single “Disturbed ft Sean Price & Exile” November 11th, off his upcoming album Days Chasing Days, due out in the first quarter of 2009 on Soulspazm Records. He is currently charted at number 19 on college radio stations throughout the country.
Congrats to local hip-hop duo Nature of the Beast for having the most-downloaded mp3 from SDReader.com for November. MarkmyWords and DJ Sinn have a one-on-one interview with Ollie, nearly a month after his "lukewarm review" of Homeland Security. They cut through the lyrics – and some tension – in this week's Hometown CD Review.
Ten songs by local artists that define San Diego hip-hop
Young Mass f/Digital Underground - “Blue Skyy” (Young Mass)
Kayo - “Mill Sh-t” (One Hundred Percent Hustle)
Jayo Felony - “Whatcha Gonna Do?” (Whatcha Gonna Do?)
Mitchy Slick - “Drug Flippin” (Urban Survival Syndrome)
Mitchy Slick - “Regular Nigg’n” (Triggeration Station)
Cherry Chuck Gang - “Beer N Big” (Cherry Chuck Gang)
Smigg Dirtee f/C.G., & Dago Braves - “Push” (Forgotten City)
Play B. f/Young Mass, & Kayo - “Angel” (Unreleased)
Dido Brown/Bonafide Camp f/Domino -“California” (Independent Out The Trunk)
Tre "Tha Bizness" (The Real)
http://www.myspace.com/massterpiece http://www.youngmass.com
http://www.myspace.com/beatsbykayo<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
http://www.myspace.com/jpowers
RELATED LINKS
WHERE'S THE READER'S HIP-HOP COVERAGE?
Wal-Marts, Best Buys, and Strip Clubs - Everyone performing at the Casbah’s first local rap showcase next month was nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category at this year’s San Diego Music Awards — everyone except Kayo..... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/nov/19/blurt4
Let It Flow - Hip-hop artist MC Flow -- a.k.a. Abby Schwartz -- raps about politics and women's issues. Though she won a 2007 San Diego Music Award for Best Hip-Hop, many locals cried foul to see a white Jewish woman take home that particular prize.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/sep/27/flow-ithttp://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/young-mass
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/kayo
EXTREME ELVIS = NAKED ELVIS
Extreme Elvis doesn’t play San Diego much any more. “I’m banned from all the clubs in town. They booted me off the stage at one place [Brick By Brick] after about five minutes. As soon as they saw my d-ck, in fact.”
Extreme Elvis tends to perform in the nude. Not a pretty sight, judging from the press photos showing the nearly 300 pound EE onstage wearing a pompadour and wraparound shades, his spangled jumpsuit around his knees, holding a mike with one hand and using his other hand to fondle a somewhat underwhelming endowment - as he urinates into the audience.
Other than San Francisco (“There’s still a few places there willing to take a chance on me”), EE has trouble getting gigs in most cities. “LA is crazy. The first time we played there, a fan came right up to the edge of the stage and opened his mouth to receive my piss. He then filled up his cheeks and sprayed my golden nectar like a fine mist all over the band. My keyboard player quit a couple weeks later.”
“The third time I played LA, it was opening for the Butthole Surfers at the Viper Room. The club faxed me this contract the day before the show that had all sorts of lame rules, including no piss of course and no male nudity…so I signed the contract and then played the show. Last song of the night, I pissed all over the contract and they 86d me. They tried to arrest me, but the cops let me off with a warning.”
Extreme Elvis sometimes supplements his meager performance income by interviewing bands for indie zines like Burn My Eye. After chatting with members of the Locust, EE offered a harsh summation of the San Diego angst rockers. “I had never heard of them before. Controversial? Why? They seemed pretty hung up on their images. Like anorexic teenage girls or aging Hollywood divas. Here they were doing the all-ages show circuit, touring with riot grrls, Bratmobile and selling tons of stylish merch. Where's the controversy? They struck me as a bunch of guys who would all end up settling down, buying homes and starting Radiohead tribute bands in five or ten years. F-ck those guys!”
CELEBRITY HOUSE HUNTING IN SAN DIEGO -
JUDGE JUDY TAKES ON THE BELLY UP TAVERN -
BACKSTAGE RIDER COLLECTION -
BACKSTAGE RIDER ON THE STORM: He Removes the Brown M&Ms Or "Ray Charles Demands a Chicken Fried Steak" - an interview with the Backstage Rider who fulfilled celeb contracts at Humphrey's, the Catamaran, and other San Diego music venues.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/19/backstage-diplomat-he-removes-the-brown-mms
BACKSTAGE RAIDER - HE MOOCHES MEALS FROM ROCK STARS - How one local transient practically lived off backstage buffets.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/19/backstage-moocher-living-off-rock-stars
NEW LOCAL MUSICIAN ONLINE RESOURCE - courtesy of Ike Turner and Tubby drummer Bill Ray, who is also giving away drum tracks at billysbeats.com ---- for FREE.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/24/gigsandiego-new-musician-resource-courtesy-bill-ra
JUDAS PRIEST'S NOSTRADAMUS - Remember when kids crashed the gates at SDSU, just to see Priest? A lot's changed since then - my predictions.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/25/judas-priests-nostradamus-my-prediction
Like this blog? Here are some related links:
OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/
FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/
SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic
JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford
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