Tuesday, October 12, 2010
My band Biscuits and Gravy is performing once again this Thursday Oct. 14th at 12th & Porter. This is our second time opening up for the Nappy Roots, we already know they gon kill it and yall know BAG is gonna do the same! Check out this video with some EXCLUSIVE (clusive clusive clusive) footage of the band rehearsing "Super High" by Rick Ross and Ne-Yo. Hopefully this'll get yall excited for Thursday and all that the band has in store
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZUVQ79KqFM
Click here for tickets
Also, click here to download our free EP
PEACE
Labels: 12th and porter, biscuits and gravy, nappy roots
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
My band The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy will be performing at The Rutledge (on 4th Ave) this Fri Oct. 1st for Next Big Nashville. We go on stage at 10:15 pm. Here's the full lineup:Rio- 8-8:30
Ya Za- 8:45-9:15
Lil Larry- 9:30 to 10
Biscuits and Gravy 10:15-10:45
DeRobert & The Half Truths- 11-11:30
This is our third year playing NBN and we usually get a pretty crappy slot, but hey if we pack it out maybe we can play in one of the sponsored showcases next year hahahaha. Seriously tho the band has been working on new stuff and cant wait to debut a few new songs on Friday. So come check it out as well as the other good artists in the show and in other NBN events this weekend.
Click here for the Facebook event page
Labels: biscuits and gravy, next big nashville, Ya Za
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Earlier this week, the Nashville Scene's blog, Nashville Cream, posted an article about the GZA performance at MTSU last Wednesday. They gave my band Biscuits and Gravy a pretty dope mention. Check it out:
"Finally, Biscuits N Gravy took the stage to wash away the mediocrity. It's been a hot minute since we've seen Biscuits N Gravy but -- as with the food from which they take their name -- we are never disappointed. Their synth-washed jazz fusion sound paired with Future, one of the city's most reliably entertaining MCs, never ceases to make us smile. Seriously, if you built a fortress out of late-'70s Stanley Clarke records and then gave that fortress the ability to rap, it would sound just like Biscuits N Gravy."
Also, they talked pretty bad about some of the local openers for the show, and they went HARD on the lack of promotion for the event!! LOLOL! Honest journalism is the best.
Check out the full article at:
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/2010/04/gza_at_mtsu_33110.php
I just left the studio and im still on TEEEENNNN cuz good songs just keep coming, thank u JESUS!
Anyway, Easter tomorrow. Get dressed nice. Go to church. And eat alot.
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, GZA, MTSU, nashville cream, nashville scene
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Dont forget, come out to Hollywood Disco this Friday night. Its gon be paaaacked, folk gon be intoooxicaatteedd... you know the rest. Me and DJ Wick It both got sets so u know its gonna be a great show. And if you a big money baller like the Sir, and u plan on gettin a few bottles of that nice champagne to impress the girls you invited to join you in the limo, then come out to PhatKaps to see Clipse perform Friday night as well. Tickets are $25 bucks, but its a full meet and greet, in store performance, autographs, and whatever else. Oh yea and me and the NOBOTS are opening for Clipse round 8. Anyway, check the fliers below for more details on both events
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, Clipse, dj wick-it, exit/in, hollywood disco, nobots, phatkaps, Sir Lazenby
Monday, January 25, 2010
Parappa The Rapper is SO much cooler than me haha. The song from the video is called "Take Off" and will be on Biscuits and Gravy's EP COMING SOON!! FOR REAL!
I expect to see alotta yall at the show. For all u Belmont students, its after the Battle of The Blvd game tomorrow. Doors open at 8pm, we gon on a lil after 9. And you are mentally challenged if u doubt it will be a PACKED HOUSE.
See you there
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, exit/in, parappa the rapper, youtube
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
COME CHECK OUT MY BAND BISCUITS AND GRAVY AND SEVERAL OTHER AMAZING ARTISTS FOR FREE!!
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Just got thru watchin the movie Hook for the second time in 2 days.... and if you don't know yet... that is my absolute FAVORITE movie. The Star Wars and Matrix Trilogies trail closely behind. But I must say, nothing is more inspiring than a routine viewing of Hook LOL. Seriously. Just watch it and tell me you dont INSTANTLY feel like you can fly (????) EXACTLY.
Hahaha in recent news, I went to a dealership today with Sir Lazenby to check out and test drive some Lexus cars. Yeeessssiiiirrr. All you haters must soon bow down, if not already. Project: GET A LEXUS is well underway lol. Plus in the words of my nigga Wes, a Lexus would be the ULTIMATE self bday gift!
I met up with some respected artists friends of mine today who are on the come up as well just to talk business, goals, life, everything. And its definitely SO CRUCIAL to surround yourself with people that CHALLENGE you, INSPIRE you, and MOTIVATE you. That is what my team does for me (shout out to Sir Lazenby, Biscuits and Gravy, and Openmic), and that is what I hope I can do for them. As long as i surround myself with hungry people, I'll never lose my appetite for more. Quote of the day, niggaz....
ANYWAY, im startin to get back into my regular blogging routine now. The school year is taking off well so far. Im doin homework as i type (sorta). I'm also gettin together concepts for the next Overnight Mixtape. Can't wait. The response for the last one was CRAZY! And i know its only gonna get bigger
Heres to a productive week
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, Hook, inspiration, Lexus, motivaion, openmic, overnight mixtape, Sir Lazenby
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday Aug 21st @ The Rutledge, 8 pm
Live taping, Not Just Country TV
Admission: $10
Saturday Aug 22nd @ 12th and Porter, 9 PM
W/ Afroman
Admission: TBD
HAHAHAHA This is gonna be the highest show of my life LOL enough said
Friday Aug 28th @ Belmont University, 6:30 pm
W/ my band The Apollo 5
Featuring several other Belmont acts
Admission: FREE
Friday Aug 28th @ Mercy Lounge, 8 pm
W/ my band The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy
Kid Electric Concerts Presents: Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album played LIVE
Admission: $10 (Tix at door or now at mercylounge.com)
Sunday Aug 30th @ Belmont University, 7 pm
W/ my band The Apollo 5
Featuring a few other acts
Admission: FREE
This show will be dope cuz its on the top of the Belmont Parking Garage
See u there!
PEACE
Labels: belmont university, biscuits and gravy, chase foster, kid electric concerts, off the wall, on the blvd, parker welling, skyline, the apollo 5
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Sunday Aug 16th @ The Place
W/ Raheem DeVaughn and The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy
Admission: $20-$120
Click Flier for more info
Friday Aug 21st @ The Rutledge, 8 pm
Live taping, Not Just Country TV
Admission: $10
Saturday Aug 22nd @ 12th and Porter, 9 PM
W/ Afroman
Admission: TBD
HAHAHAHA This is gonna be the highest show of my life LOL enough said
Friday Aug 28th @ Belmont University, 6:30 pm
W/ my band The Apollo 5
Featuring several other Belmont acts
Admission: FREE
Friday Aug 28th @ Mercy Lounge, 8 pm
W/ my band The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy
Kid Electric Concerts Presents: Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album played LIVE
Admission: $10 (Tix at door or now at mercylounge.com)
Sunday Aug 30th @ Belmont University, 7 pm
W/ my band The Apollo 5
Featuring a few other acts
Admission: FREE
This show will be dope cuz its on the top of the Belmont Parking Garage
Hope to see yall at the next few shows!
PEACE
Labels: afroman, belmont university, biscuits and gravy, kid electric concerts, mercy lounge, michael jackson, not just country tv, off the wall, openmic, the apollo 5
Thursday, June 4, 2009
And the Jaspects have just humbled me....
Their latest project, "The Polkadotted Stripe", is inspiring, innovative, and artistic. And I mean artistic in a Shakespeare/Picasso-type way. Its ridiculous. I haven't been so inspired in a while. And lately I've just been on some "different" stuff for my music fix. Artists like The Bird and the Bee and Sondre Lerche. Cuz quite frankly, regular old Hip Hop and R&B just doesn't cut it for me on the inspiration tip anymore. It doesn't really contribute to my GROWTH as an artist. Yeeeaaaa suuuure every so often I'll hear a new song on the radio I'm feeling, go illegally download it, bump it on my iPod for a week or two, then trash it. But I'm talkin more about the songs you can study, learn from, emulate, and even ... thats the type of music I'm on a never-ending quest for (dang that just reminded me about that movie Never Ending Story, with that big fluffy flying thing... I used to LOVE that movie!)
And Jaspects have produced a work of ART. My band Biscuits and Gravy had the opportinuty to open up for them when they played in Nashville at B.B. Kings, and I consider myself acquaintances of theirs. My band has always viewed them as our "big brothers" with them being a dope band making their name blending Jazz and Hip Hop. But anyway, that particular night I wasn't feeling too well, the my band didn't perform as good as we should have, so I just went home before their set. So I didn't even realize they had a released a new album!
A new friend of mine that I made from Twitter (lol.. my first Twitter friend btw) Ms. Beezy, posted a review about their album on her blog a few weeks back, and this was the first time I was able to preview a few tracks from the album. And I was blown awwaaaay. I copped the album immediately after.
The way in which "The Polkadotted Stripe" differs from the previous Jaspects albums is that it blends the Jazz aspect of their music so deceptively and intricately in their songs, that a non musician, or musically inclined listener can't obviously point it out. Each song is soooo detailed, from the instrumentataion, vocals, and the even the specifics of the engineering aspects (like the levels, automation, auto-tune, etc.). Its such a progressive album for the hip hop sub genre which has been emerging in the past couple years. I took notes the entire time I listened to the album. I DEFINITELY have to step my game up.
Even the album features are perfect. Janelle Monae and PJ Morton alone were enough to draw me in when I read the track titles.
I want you all to make your own opinion of the music, so I wont go into detail about my favorite tracks or what I didn't like, cause sometimes I can spoil the listeners experience (hey atleast Im honest!). But definitely go cop "The Polkadotted Stripe". Its a worthy purchase for Jazz, Hip Hop, R&B, and even the "out-there" lovers like me.
The more I listen to all these ATL artists on the rise like Proton, Hollyweerd, and the Jaspects, the more I wanna just pack up everything and move to the A-town so I can start soakin up whatever they got!
Best believe, my newest goal for the year is to try and collab with these kats. And trust me, its loooong overdue
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, hollyweerd, janelle monae, jaspects, PJ Morton, proton, the polkadotted stripe
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Alot of ppl been askin questions bout my band The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy. For those that arent familiar with them, they are the reason I've have a name for myself in Nashville period and have the opportunities forwarded to me that I do now.
Seems like for a while now we have been on hiatus. There is no other way to look at it. Our buzz has sorta died down, we dont even have a CD, EP or anything to show for, and even our local popularity is beginning to fade.
Why??? Well its a long story. But despite everything that has happend, i still remain so optimistic in my bands future. My solo stuff is always something I can go as far as I choose and venture and do whatever, but BAG is my heart
Just a quick history of my band>>>
Back in high school, beginning late Sophomore year, i started takin my music more serious and started recording and doin small shows like churches or school events. Then I started interning at Rocketown my senior year, but my solo stuff never did quite take off like I wanted to. I started my first band "Improv, Lyrics, and Life" with some friends at my high school. After a few talent shows wins and church performances tho, the group broke up. My second band tho, started with just me and some friends on keys messing around at my internship at Rocketown after school. And what started out as just something to kill time, became The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy.
We went from Rocketown open mic nights for metro students, quickly to Cafe Coco monthly open mic events makin $200+ a night off tips. It was crazy. Even though this may seem like nothing, it was alot for me to take in. Cuz as a teen i used to think the hardest thing was gettin a show at a local venue for a semi-packed crowed just to hear my songs. And all of a sudden, me and my friends were the new buzz and talk of the town. Young kids from ages 12-17 playin everything from jazz and old school r&b to hip hop and funk. And people were eatin it up.
In the few months since we started we went from playin lil old Kijiji's (remember that place on Jefferson St lol) to Cafe Coco, then to Gibson Showcase for a local television taping. Everybody locally was showing us love. The Tennesean, all the local music papers. It was crazy. People were blowin our myspace up, tryna book us for weddings, banquets, everything u could think of. I swear we were freakin local celebrities! "Arent u in that band Biscuits and Gravy?? Yea I saw yall in the paper!" It was crazy!!
As great as it was tho, it was happening way too fast for us to comprehend. Our buzz was growing faster than we were maturing mentally and even musically. In all honesty we were a glorified Jam band. And we could play the hell out of covers. But besides that, our overall musicality and my lyricism werent advancing enough to meet the demands of the bigger audiences we were being exposed to. A year after BAG started, we had already played every major local venue twice over, but maybe only had 3 or 4 new songs to add to our catalog.
The funny thing about BAG is that we go thru phases. All of that was phase 1. From 2006 to the end of 2007. We went on a Lovenoise tour in a couple of surrounding states in the summer of 2007. It seemed like things were really taking off, but they werent. I dont think thats anyones fault, but I can speak for the whole band and say we started takin opportunities like tours and being so well known locally for granted after a while. We expected a certain level of recognition but yet didnt put in work to keep it or advance that recognition. So what happened was, we got stuck. Stuck in Nashville. Stuck in out mindsets of us EXPECTING to get signed or something, but not really working towards it like we should have.
So it depressed us.
It slowed down our progress even more. Practices were canceled more often. I started focusin on my solo stuff more than the band cuz it was just at a weird stage. I needed to be on stage more and we werent performing as much as we used to. More priorities were taking place of the band, which is necessary, but there should have been a better balance. I was in my freshman yr of college by then and I started flunking. A few other members did too. So our buzz sort of staled off
2008 began phase 2 for BAG. This was the transitional phase. We were all a lil older and could really look at things in perspective and see mistakes we made and what we could have done better to get the band where we all wanted to be, which was to a label or some opportunity to launch us regionally, nationally, internationally, etc etc. The shows kept coming, we stayed meeting key people, execs, producers, we always do big name shows, or open up for big artist. But the difference this time around, is that we realize those shows really dont amount to as much as we used to think. Who cares we opened up at a Kanye West after party, who cares we did the Nappy Roots show, Jazzy Jeff, met this person, that person, etc. What my band members and I have learned from the past 3 yrs in the band is the way the industry works, and its more complicated than we thought. I remember when we met Kanye we were just so positive that if he heard a SECOND of us playing he would sign us immediately. LOL well he was there when we played, but he didnt pay any attention hahaha.
In the same vein, an industry person can tell us a million things and get all our hopes up about what he or she will do for us and how big we'll be, but in the end dont follow thru with any of it. So it has taught us to not be satisfied for doin a big show or meeting a industry exec or somebody famous. Its just another notch on our belts. But we have learned to have tough skin. Thats the main thing. No matter what, keep improving, keep practicing, keep writing, keep perfecting our craft. Cuz even when we do get signed, its just another chapter in our careers. There is never a reason to be content and settle with our current skill level or popularity.
So this begins phase 3, which I believe begins this week. The band is on the verge of a HUGE comeback. New songs, new image, new level of hype, overall new mindset. And Im soooo excited to see where this phase leads us, because Im confident we are headed in the right direction. So look out for us yall, we are bout to hit yall SOOOOO FREAKIN HAARRRRDDD!!!!!
For real... the world is not ready!!!
My Band - D12
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, kanye west, nappy roots, rocketown
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Lol excuse the over-excitement but i cant help but to sit in this desk chair and reminisce on the show for a sec....
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Ah yeeeeaaaaaaa. It was that great haha
To truly even halfway understand how I feel, you have to realize Im used to performing with a full band. Whether it be with my amazing band The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy or just my solo band The Freshness League, performing with a live band is soooo much easier. People, whether musically inclined or not, are more drawn into band performances just for the different elements of the overall show. The diff instruments, everybody on stage rockin, the overall showmanship of the entire band is what can easily capture people. The audience is able to focus on sooo much more than just the lead singer, which allows their attention to be on the act for even longer.
But solo????
Omg thats a diff story.
Me, a microphone, and my beats, either with a CD player or an iPod...
Its a very intimidating experience, the crowd is depending solely on me for entertainment for my entire set. Very rarely will an audience member be intrigued by an artist performance for their backing music alone....
My last few shows have been completely by myself because my CLEAN CUT partner Openmic has been really busy, and since the semester ended its harder for me to get my solo band together for practices. So I have tried to get DJ's for the past couple of shows.... NO LUCK. Which brought me back to square one... an iPod lol.
First off, before Saturday, I DESPISED performing alone.
But Saturday night was magical, Initially, I was gonna have someone else DJ the material but it fell thru in the last moment. But LO AND BEHOLD, the DJ-ing duo, SPEAKERSPELL came to my rescue and agreed to play the tracks during my set. Which was a miracle because I would have looked dumb changing my songs with an iPod especially at an event of that caliber. And it all worked out perfect because I had been tryna hook up with them since I found out about them a couple months ago. YESSSIIIRRR
Oh yea Im getting ahead of myself... The show was a concert/fashion show at Mercy Lounge called "Naked Without Us" so there was a runway and models coming out on each artists set. The headline act was Lord T & Eloise. Other performances included Used Computers and Born Empty, who KILLED IT btw... that was the first time I had seen them. Their set was hyyypppeeee
I opened my set up with my self acclaimed classic "Family Matters" haha. The models came out and im not gonna lie, it took me a lil second to adjust and actually look cool, rap, and interact with the models all at the same time hahaha. But by the end of the song i was a certified "RIP THE RUNWAY" pro lol.
After that I performed my entire 5 track EP in order (my first time doing so live). This was the first time I did the entire SCI FLY EP from beginning to end, and it was apparently, the ride of each audience member's LIFE (not really, buuuut really)...
"Product Of The Game" is a hit in my opinion. Its more than a hit, its an anthem. People adore that song. It so real, the track is hot, the flow compliments it perfectly, but the chorus is what makes people fall in love with it
Forgive me if I dream too big and stunt in this life I live/ But baby I'm just a product of the game
Forgive my designer clothes and my materialistic flows/ But baby I'm just a product of the game
The song is honest and unapologetic. I live by those lyrics.
I then went into the club banger of the EP, "Girls Like". And ohhhhh myyyy did the ladies loooooove this! Its SOOOO catchy! I love when I see ladies in the audience sayin every word of the chorus as if it wasnt their first time hearing the song. Even the fellas were gettin hype, whether it was for me or the ladies, who cares...
And the perfect thing about it is, the models, unexpectedly, modeled to this song. They came out on the runway, We interacted, I even danced a lil with some playfully to the audiences liking. It was crazy cuz by now I could tell I had fully engaged the crowd, and the house was PACKED
Ive never performed "Cleaning Out My Hard Drive" live (well technically I have, but no one was at that show so lets just say I didnt...) mainly because there is more emphasis on the lyrics in the verses to really get the metaphor of the song, and Its hard for people to make out all my words in certain venues sometimes, but I went ahead and did it, and didnt know what type of reaction to expect from them, but to my surprise people were laughin at the lyrics and singin along with the chorus by the end of the song! GO FIGURE!
"Heartbeat".... hahaha you either LOVE this song or u dont pay attention to it. Haha thats apparently what Ive been able to gather from people's opinions of it. But live??? EVERYBODY jumps. this song is a RAVE ANTHEM! LOL I love this record and I have NEVER failed to make people in the crowd JUMP with me when the chorus hits. It never fails! College parties, venue shows, drunk people, kids, everyone gets hype with me on this song. And Saturday, the whole runway was surrounded by people jumping up and down screamin at the top of their lungs... "COME ON, GIIIRRRLLL!" When I finally get enough confidence to stage dive and crowd surf... it shall be to this song!
And finally I closed out the show with my techno/dance love ballad "Grow Old With You" which is one of my favorite songs period, but I was reluctant to end with it since the energy level was sooo high on the previous songs. But once I started the song I remembered, "Grow Old" is a crowd favorite. Its something people can relate with, who doesnt want to find that someone you want to grow old and spend the rest of your life with?? People were singing their hearts out... and so was I. On my knees belting like Jodeci, and the crowd was loving every second of it....
The songs ended. I threw the deuces, shouted my website, and left the stage. It was one of those perfect nights...kinda like those cheesy scenes in movies, when the underdog finally rises to the occasion and is met with the long awaited adoration of everyone. Yeeeeaaaa, it was just like that. Drenched in sweat and unable to talk, I walked off that stage 50 feet tall, as the crowd received me with open arms, crowning me the victor and Lord of the stage that night LOL hahahahah ok i quit, but you get what Im sayin...
So, in recap, things i learned from Saturdays show
1. I CAN rock a stage solo w/o a band and still KILL it
2. I look really good when models surround me
3. And finally my EP is a freaking masterpiece. Is this me being cocky? Why yes it is.
DOWNLOAD IT, IF U HAVENT YET
In all seriousness tho, Ive never even gotten crowd reaction like that WITH a band. And Ive been even more hype on other shows so I know its not a matter of my energy level. Its song selection. And THE SCI FLY EP is just a 5 song documentation of where Im at musically, emotionally, and spiritually in my life right now. And apparently alot of people are on the saaaame exact page. People have been lookin for something like this, someone like me, and each show I realize that more and more.
With that being said, I feel like Ive in part accomplished what I wanted to do with the EP. All i need now is for the rest of the world to catch on...
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, born empty, future, mercy lounge, naked without us, openmic, speakerspell, the sci fly ep, used computers
Monday, April 6, 2009
However, I never complain. It all serves towards the purpose of my ultimate goal, which is to make it in the music industry, make money, be popular, get groupies, fancy cars, and big chains from Jacob the Jeweler to signify my new socio-economic status lol. So in the meantime I never complain. I know my rewards will come in the long run. But every so often theres a sneak peek of my future success, and this weekend was one of those times
My band Biscuits and Gravy had 3 shows on Saturday alone, one at a Hip Hop block party at Vanderbilt University, another at USN high school, and the final opening up for platinum selling southern rap group Nappy Roots.
I dont particularly like opening up for bigger artist. They always leave and go back to their hotel room after the sound check. They usually are just too "above" holdin conversation with the niggaz that open up for them! and they never make it back in time to see me perform anyway. So initially I never gave any thought to the Nappy Roots show. I pretty much figured that I knew what to expect, and to not get my hopes up in anyway because i would get let down of i thought they were all cool as hell and would see us perform
Well... they didnt see us perform lol. They came to the green room backstage right after our set, drunk and weeded up. I just sat in the back listening to my ipod ready to go home. "Them niggaz cant do nothing for me anyway, they aint been big since they first album anyway." LOL I swear to yall that was my only thought at the time.
One of my band's managers' Bryce grew up in Bowling Green, KY with alot of the members of the group, so he asked them to give us some personal advice about making it in the industry. Big V started out talkin about how there are no friends in the industry, only business, even with smiling faces. Then Fishscales mentioned how he learned to never write without inspiration because that is when he is at his best, which gets harder when they have to make deadlines. Clutch talked about how he still feels young cuz everything happened so fast once they started getting popular, touring, etc etc. He said it felt like he never really got a chance to sit back and soak all of it in while it was happening, and its gone for now.
These niggaz was real as hell. I had a new found respect for all of em.
The band sat and listened attentively, responding to everything, laughing when appropriate. I dont know exactly what the rest of my band mates were thinking, but as for me it strengthened my longing to make it to the next level in the industry. give me my shot, I'm ready. And at the same time, what they said confirmed my fears about the shady ppl, strict business, fake nigga stigma in the industry. Its grimey. Thats the most accurate way to put it. But at the same time, my whole life I have been getting equipped for that.
We dapped, handshaked, and thanked them for the advice and revealing to us their lessons learned. We left the backstage room while they prepared to go out on stage, and we joined the audience as they awaited to see the group they paid their money for.
The DJ spun a few records, and then hyped up the crowd to prepare for their "grand entrance on stage." Then the show began....
I never get star struck, never have never will. Any "celebrity" is still human like me, and i dont believe in idolizing anything that has the same capabilities and limitations as myself. But omg seein them perform was so freakin surreal...not because they are my favorite group, not because im a huge nappy roots fan, not because i opened up for them; But I vividly remember sneaking in my room listening to "Aw Naw" on my radio back in 9th grade, printing out the lyrics, learning every word to "Po Folks", writing my own verses to the track, recording their songs onto tape to listen to it later. I had forgotten all about the effect Nappy Roots had on my early development as an artist. I didnt seriously start writing until 8th and 9th grade, around the time Nappy Roots first came out, and at that time their singles were some of my favorite songs at the time. The catchy hook, the different personalities of each lyricist, the differences in rhythmic pattern. I began to study that, I emulated their styles, slang, phrases, the fact they were themselves.... rappin country niggaz... nappy boys, nappy roots. Nothing fake about it
And when the DJ played the easily recognizable organ lick from "Aw Naw", i felt chills (no homo lol). I remembered the lame 13 year old Harold looking for his identity as an artist, soaking in everything from internet bios to radio singles. And one of the groups I used to emulate and learn so much from, was right there in front of me, performing a song i knew every single word too. I had just talked to them. Hell, I actually met them. Not one of them times listening to "Po' Folks" on my cd player walking thru the halls humming the chorus did I EVER think I would meet them, open up for them, have a heart to heart convo with them. I cant even adequately describe in this blog my emotional state on Saturday night.....
Moments like those are my encouragement and motivation to keep grinding, keep at it, keep working towards my goal. I got to meet them same niggaz I used to bump when I was younger; one of my middle school rap professors lol, i learned from them back then just from listening to the radio.... fast forward 7 years and im still learning from them, face to face this time
Lol i dont expect you to understand how I feel. Some personal things are just too hard to try and get other people to relate with, but i dont care. as far as im concerned, dont nobody read my blog, hahaha i blog for myself. All I know, it wont be long til everybody who knows me now gon say
Aw Naw, Hell Naw, man Future up and done it....
Aw Naw Hell Naw - Nappy Roots
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, nappy roots
Thursday, March 12, 2009
www.biscuitsandgravyband.com
PEACE
Labels: biscuits and gravy, inspiration, motivaion
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
ANYWAY, for those of yall that dont know, B-A-G been killin the music scene here in Nashville and even Bowling Green, KY, a lil bit of Atlanta, and a few other places, but we definitely on our way.
No matter what I do on the solo tip, theres still somethin special about the chemistry we all have as a band. So, you dont want to miss us at B.B. Kings this Thursday. We haven't played in a few weeks so we are EXTRA hungry to get on stage and remind people why we are the youngest hottest urban band period For more info on the band or shows, visit www.biscuitsandgravyband.com
PEACE
Labels: b.b. kings, biscuits and gravy
Sunday, February 8, 2009
We had met Craig King in 2007 when we played at Kanye's official after party here in Nashville. Craig King's production credits extend from Ludacris, T.I., and even the great Aaliyah, all the way back to Will Smith! I mean C'MON this man played on "Summertime"! Check out his website and even a video of him when he laid down the synth part for Kanye's single "Good Life" yeeeaaa he played on that too lol, check out the video
http://wp.craigaking.com/
ANYWAY, Mr. King had several artists performing during the dinner extending from artists on So So Def, to Lil' John ROberts himself on the drums, who was the musical director of Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope tour and Jill Scott's last tour
So artist after artist went up on stage and we didnt know if we were goin to be called up cuz these were some major industry people and seasoned veterans! But Mr. King came thru for us, gave us a CRAZY introduction, and me and my boys shut it DOWN!!! We performed 3 songs and had everyone standing up and asking where they can here more
Through this opportunity we were able to meet several important people from Pay-per-view, who want us to play on one of their television events, and even people from a few newspapers that wanna do articles on us. THANK YOU CRAIG! Even My. King himself said he wants to work with us even more and ensure that we make it big
So, im still cheesin haarrrddd from friday, you cant ask for opportunities like that.
Check out my bands website
www.biscuitsandgravyband.com
PEACE
Labels: aaliyah, atlanta, biscuits and gravy, craig king, janet jackson, jill scott, lil' john, ludacris, will smith
