Underground Girls of Hip-Hop is dedicated to the women of hip-hop who are contributing with their hearts minds, souls and bodies. We at UGG give the women and soldiers of hip-hop a platform to expose their talents and views of the hip-hop world today. We feature EXCLUSIVE!! Music, videos, new releases, articles and opinions the of all in the underground.

Shylise "Shay-Nutt" Simpson came up with the vision for Underground Girls Of Hip-Hop in 2007. Since then the site has become a place for the who's who of hip-hop to get their intell and deliver their exclusives not only the females of hip-hop but the industry as a whole. With over 300,000 hits a month UGG is the all-time hot spot for hip-hop.
Shay-Nutt, Founder of UGG

PRESS

Underground Girls of Hip-Hop Achieves Website Milestone
Hip-hop website creates a strong community that supports the rise of female emcees.

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2009—Underground Girls of Hip-Hop announced today that their website has acquired over 50,000 unique visitors. This is a milestone and a major step forward for the online hip-hop portal, which is dedicated to enhancing the status of female hip-hop artists and exposing new talent through exclusive music, videos, interviews, articles, and releases.

“These are great results,” says Shylise Simpson, Founder. “It shows that we are reaching enough people to create a community that shares the same perspective and goals.” Promoting a strong community experience, the website encourages site visitors to interact with one another through topic-specific forum discussions and real-time online chat.

The website also encourages site visitors to participate and submit songs for the upcoming release of Underground Girls of Hip-Hop’s first mix-tape, The Pink Carpet. Those interested in submitting a song or track can do so by emailing Shay-Nutt at ugg@undergroundgirlsofhiphop.com. Still in the production stage, The Pink Carpet will feature exclusive songs as well as introducing new, talented hip-hop artists.

Founded in 2007 by Shylise Simpson, Underground Girls of Hip-Hop is a community committed to providing both aspiring and proven female hip-hop artists a unique platform to showcase their talents that further define the hip-hop genre. Through continuing dialogues with record companies and top-level executives and producers, Underground Girls of Hip-Hop works to enhance and revive the state of female hip-hop artists. Visit Underground Girls of Hip-Hop’s website at http://undergroundgirlsofhiphop.com for more information.

The phrase “young and gifted” is an understatement when referring to Shawty Redd, platinum producer out of ATL Shawty! At the age of 17 this self made producer was nominated for the highest honor a musician can be recognized for, a Grammy. While some people take years to accomplish this goal he was able to gain his credits before most people graduate from high school. Working with major artist like Young Jeezy and Snoop Dogg he has been able to establish a reputation as a hit maker and a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Instead of letting these honors get to head has decided to reach out to other up-in-coming artist and producers to assist them with breaking into the tough and sometimes grimy industry. Showing that being selfless and having knowledge of the business side of the industry is the true way to obtain success

Start off by reintroducing yourself to the reader’s and by giving them a quick rundown of your background.

Cool, cool, this ya boy the platinum producer whose Grammy nominated Shawty Redd checking in from the studio in ATL getting it in, ya dig? As of right now they got me working for everybody and they got me working hard. While we’re doing this interview I’m in the process of putting something together for R. Kelly and I’m also working on projects for The Game, Young Jeezy, Grand Hustle, Snoop, Yo Gotti, Hurricane Chris, Gucci Man who paid for this while he was in jail. At the end of the day I’m just about working for everybody right now.

Tell the reader’s about your style and how they can tell your production apart from other producers.

Basically everybody knows me for a lot of the Jeezy records I’ve done and its funny cause a lot of the major labels and executives who make the decisions didn’t know I could produce hits until the hit I produced for Snoop “Sexual Seduction”. From that one song everybody is coming and looking for me to produce their next project. I’ve been trying to get my sound for production out there for the longest and I don’t have a title for it but I like to call it feel good music because it’ll make you feel good.

I see you putting in overtime in the studio but explain to the reader’s what motivates you to work this hard besides the money and the fame.

I want to show the world I’m from Atlanta and to not stereotype a ni**a. People quick to stereotype a ni**a and put you in a lane or category and for you to stay in that lane. That’s how it’s been for me for the longest since I was fifteen and when I was producing at fifteen I felt like I was the shi* but they put me in a box. At the age of seventeen I produced my first album called, Drummer. The single went platinum and the album went gold. They keep me in a box because I produced a Southern artist but I’m motivated to prove them wrong. Ever since the Snoop record though everybody been riding my di** and I’m trying to show everyone that I’ve been able to do this for the longest but all I needed was a chance. Now I’m at the point where I can do it myself because I’ve gotten my weight up and I’m trying to promote my production company and upcoming producer D. Rich.

Talk about some of the artists you look forward to working with and how do you go about choosing which artists you work with?

To tell you the truth I fu** with everybody and at the end of the day I’m a real ni**a. For those that didn’t wanna fu** with me before have no choice but to fu** with me now. The one thing I try to do is fu** with everybody. If you get a Shawty Redd track I don’t just collect a check and deliver the track. I personally sit there with you in the studio to make sure we get a hit record. I don’t discriminate.

Talk about your production company.

The company “Beat Bangers” cause we banging the beats and its independent company. What I do is get a lot of younger cats under the company to give them a fair shot so no one takes advantage of them like others did to me. With that said I have my team of lawyers and others inside the music business who are familiar with how to handle themselves in this business helping the upcoming producers. As we speak I have this producer D. Rich who produced the “Who That” beat that I met off of Myspace a few years ago and now he’s a platinum producer. Then we have my little brother wrote the hook for “Sexual Seduction” for Snoop so we’re in a good position. I can put artists out just to rap but I’m trying to show them another side to make big money and if they want to pursue being an artist then they’ll have the money and know how to do it.

So the internet is something you’ve already started looking into as far as finding talent. How do you feel about the game changing where everything is through downloads?

To tell you the truth I’m really not an internet dude or a computer ni**a. The only time I really get around the computer is when I’m working in the studio. I really believe shi* happens for a reason and God works in strange ways. As for the downloading music I can’t really say because at the end of the day I get my money, you feel me. I make the beats and that I think really affects the artists so I can’t really say. Everything I ever touched I ate real Good off of. I can’t really speak on that because I’m not an artist.

Talk a bout your relationship with Jeezy.

The crazy shi* about that is me and him been going hard for a minute and when people see us doing things together they shocked. What people don’t understand is that we are like big brother and little brother. I was never really around him like that cause when you got fifty or so other ni**as around you asking for money all the time and around for the wrong reason I don’t want nothing to do with that. I’ve been there before and I’ll let you see for yourself. Eventually Jeezy realized and when people didn’t see us together anymore then they started assuming we were beefing but that was never the case. Me and Jeezy would speak on the phone everyday and we were just out together the other day. We good and the reason why I haven’t been making a lot of tracks for his latest album is because I needed a break. Jeezy’s first album I produced like seven or eight tracks and I was suppose to do more but then the label jumped in it pushing him to get production from others to get different sounds. So with the second album I only produced three tracks and I wanted to show everybody that I can switch up my style every time I do something but on his next album I wasn’t fresh at all. I had just gotten into a car accident where I broke my leg and I was doing more commercial tracks like “Sexual Seduction” and I was played out on the other type of records. My little producer D. Rich who I met from Myspace produced the “Who That” record and Jeezy liked the beat and from there my producer was in the game. At the end of the day me and Jeezy are good.

Talk about the first album Jeezy dropped “Thug Motivation” which was a classic in my opinion, talk about the chemistry between you two in the studio while working on the records for that album.

Our chemistry is so crazy and people don’t know but me and this ni**a were doing albums before that. Me and this ni**a were hanging in the streets for the longest just chilling. I had a deal with MC8 while he was looking for a deal. I had a studio at the time so I’d let him record while I went to the strip club. Our chemistry was crazy because we’d sit at the boards and as I pressed the keys he would tell me it was cool. From there I added the drum beat cause you know we’re always gonna keep the Shawty Redd and Young Jeezy drum pattern and whatever I played he would tell me he liked it. There would be a couple times where he liked it but I didn’t like it and he would just be like cool so we good. The last couple albums we ain’t even been in the studio together. “Who That” was the first time me and him got in the studio together since the first album. That’s why the chemistry was like that and when we shot the video we were just having fun kicking it.

Talk about some of the equipment you’re working with now compared to when you first started out.

I pretty much keep the same equipment and don’t really switch it up too much. I couldn’t even tell you what this shi* is except I know its pro tools, you feel me? That’s why I have my own engineer who can go into any studio and work that shi* so me I just write the record or make the beat or something and do what I do.

Any advice for upcoming producers?

Real talk, just learn the business first cause there’s a lot of crooks out here and I try to mention that in every interview I do. You can’t just jump into this game thinking you’re going to be Shawty Redd, Dre or Timberland. We’ve all been fu**ed before and personally speaking I’ve only been fu**ed once before and I can tell you getting fu**ed ain’t good, you feel me?  For the younger cats it’s cool to be an upcoming producer but as you’re perfecting your craft it’s in you’re best interest to perfect the business side as well. A lot of cats don’t understand that because a lot of cats think they can make a beat and just sell it to Jeezy but it’s not like that all the time. Just get some good people in you’re corner so you can’t get fu**ed.

WITH KISHIGIRLS ON THE RED CARPET //// INTERVIEW BELOW BY Shireal Renee

Grammy Award winning producer Easy MoBee is one of the greatest producers to have entered the world of hip hop working with some of the biggest names in the industry today, like Biggie, Tupac, P-Diddy aka Puff Daddy and Jay-Z. He’s even worked with the R&B legend Miles Davis, The Lost Boyz, Craig Mack, Big Daddy Kane, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang and many more. His resume is thick no doubt about it.

After having the privilege of speaking with the man behind the music, one truth stood clear, he is still a man. Even with all the awards, acknowledgments and praise Easy Mo Bee was one of the easiest people to talk to. He was genuinely engaged in our conversation, revealing intimate details about his career and his love for hip hop – how his family and environment inspired his love and remains to keep him grounded.

He opened up about the friction that came about with him and Puffy and admitted that the situation that happened so long ago still wore on his heart. One thing that he wanted to address was the need for people to overcome negative situations and find a way to still work together so that we can avoid the “Biggie, Tupac outcomes” that so often are plagued on the hip hop community.

Easy Mo Bee is not only a great producer he is a great man who has made an enormous impact on hip hop and is responsible for so much of the music we classify as classics in hip hop today. Now working with Platinum Ice Records he is ready to lay down some more bangers to keep his name ringing on all the major credits being printed in the industry. Keep your eyes open because if you don’t watch closely you will miss how swiftly, Easy lays down hits.

Interview by Shireal Renee
___________________________________________________________

Shireal Renee: Easy Mo Bee, how did you come up with that name?
Easy Mo Bee: I got it particularly because of this MC in the group Treacherous Three, Cool Moe D, who was so innovative with his style and speaking patterns. Everybody else had kind of like a humdrum, predictable flow. He came in and he innovated what he was speaking in rap. People don’t give him that credit, but he pioneered rhythmic ways of speaking. I use to love the Treacherous Three because of him, I just thought at the time he was a dope dude, and he just single-handedly – in my opinion introduced something new to the game. I liked his name, and I wanted to name myself after him or something similar to him because you can’t just outright take someone’s name.

Shireal Renee: Yeah. (Laughter)
Easy Mo Bee: So his name was “Cool”, so I said I’m going to be another adjective so I’m going to be “Easy”. He was Moe, I said drop the E. He was “D” because of his last name, and I said I’m going to be “Bee” because my nickname is Boobie. My family calls me that.

Shireal Renee: Boobie?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah that’s my name right now, if I walk through Lafayette Projects in Brooklyn somebody going to see me and be like “Yo Boob, what up boob?” That was my nickname, so it really was supposed to be Easy Mo Boobie, but that’s too long plus it sounds corny.

Shireal Renee: Yeah.
Easy Mo Bee: So I said Easy Mo Bee.

Shireal Renee: That’s a dope story though; I would have never thought you would have said that.
Easy Mo Bee: (Laughter) I mean I seriously looked up to them back in the day. Those dudes were then, and they still will be today – my heroes. I saw them the other night. I have the privilege to be at functions or events and when I see them they come up on me and tap me and say, “What’s up”. I’m real thankful that I still can appreciate the music because it’s a lot of people who just give up on them and move on from them. But the music is in my blood, I’m going to be that dude eighty-nine in the wheelchair still tapping out.

Shireal Renee: (Laughing) In the nursing home? You mentioned that you wouldn’t consider Cool Moe D a rapper, you consider him a MC. What’s the difference, how do you separate those two things because a lot of peple consider themselves a MC, so why do you say it’s different.
Easy Mo Bee: I mean a rapper raps about topics, fixes on that topic and raps which is a verb anyway, but we’ll get into that a little later so I won’t be jumping around all over the place. A rapper fixes on a topic and he makes a song about that. A MC to me is someone who has the ability to freestyle. And a lot of their lyrics are usually focusing on their skills as a MC and then you have a rapper who is someone who raps about thuggery, guns or whatever. It’s hard to say. I’ll tell you the main thing that will separate a MC from a rapper. A lot of MC’s have the ability to freestyle.

Shireal Renee: Who would you consider in this generation of artists a MC? Do you feel like they still exist?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah, I saw a couple of them on stage the other night, my man and he gets much respect from me because we both do the same thing, my man Large Professor. He is an MC. Grand Poopa, they was up there rocking, to me those are MC’s. It’s something about the content of what they rhyme about but it’s hard to say, it really is hard to say. You know what, let me get a little bit deeper and just say, “What’s the difference between hip hop and rap”.

Shireal Renee: Alright.
Easy Mo Bee: Ok, hip hop would be the noun and rap would be the verb. Like hip hop is scratching, it’s the beat, it’s the noun. And rap is a part of it. You understand what I’m saying?

Shireal Renee: Yeah I do, I do. Being noun is the thing, and verb would be the action of what comes out of it.
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah. Let me answer this too. I said a rapper would be like thuggery, gangster this and that, where a MC concentrates more on lyrical skills but that’s not always true. I think back to people like Grand Master Cash and this one and that one and saying lines about cocaine or whatever but it all goes back to that noun and verb thing.

Shireal Renee: So tell us a little bit about what your life was like growing up in Brooklyn.
Easy Mo Bee: Ok, let me start from a little kid. I was born, and I grew to the age where I can hear and understand. And I noticed that my father kept music on in the house, all kinds of music, jazz, blues, and gospel. You know soul. I was always drawn to him when he was playing the music. So my father was playing all these James Brown 45’s and Etta James, Motown, Al Green, I’m soaking it all up. Ok they start bring turntables and the speakers out into the street for what they call a block party. So with me already loving music I had to run back there and see what was going on. I go back there and see a dude with two turntables and a mixer in the middle, and he’s switching records going back and forth and there was no true rap yet. It was just MCing, which is really abbreviated for microphone controller. There were no real raps yet, they were just going back and forth, “yes yes ya’ll switch the beats ya’ll”, and I was like “Yo that’s fly!” But further down the line it goes more into poetry. I’m watching these dudes and I’m like I need to have what they got. So I told my mother I wanted some turn tables, she wouldn’t buy them for me so I got older and put together my own little mixing setup and in junior high going to high school I’m buying my own records. I’m coming home, dropping my books running to them turntables getting good at it not realizing I’m becoming a DJ. You listen to music long enough, you want to make it. I played music long enough, and I felt the urge to want to make beats. Right around that time I lived in 411 Lafayette Projects in the back, AB and them were always harmonizing in the staircase and they wanted me to be their third rapper and singer. They had this idea since all three of us could rap and sing, and they needed the third person to have the three point harmony. I told them I’d sing and harmonize with them but I didn’t want to rap. It was just one night where madness was going on, fire trucks, police cars and everything in the projects and right around the time AB and them wanted me to rap. And I got so frustrated off of what I was hearing outside my window and I wrote my first rap. I wrote it and they liked it. That’s how I became that third rapper. Now AB went to high school with Big Daddy Kane, and I started hanging around them, Biz Markie and Mr. C who already lived on the eighth floor of my building. So AB kept telling Kane that I had some beats and he needed to check them out. He finally came and checked them out, and the beats he checked out became two songs on his second album. So now I have something to say I officially had commercialize

Shireal Renee: You were young, that’s great to have a commercial record out.
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah it was 1989. But after those two songs, and mind you Rift and I was already doing our things before Kane stuff came out. After that came out we ended up grabbing a deal with A&M, so we had a one album deal to do with A&M records. That right there established us and put us in the game. So we do-op singing over beats and rapping and nobody was doing this, it was innovative. Right after the Big Daddy Kane stuff a whole lot of people were coming to me for beats and productions. This dude named Melqwan had a rapper who he wanted me to do beats for him because he liked what I did for Kane. He brought him to my house and he said “Yo this is The Genius”, and I want you to do some beats for my rapper. They come in the house and they got this idea, they wanted to take martial arts and hip hop and fuse it together. I’m over there on the beats looking at them like yeah, alright sure. I’m listening to what they rapping and way before the formation of Wu-Tang in like 1990 Genius and ODB came into my crib and I still have the cassette demos with them rapping and talking about this thing called Wu-Tang and all of that. And it sounded good, but I wanted to know what it was all about. So Melqwan lands Genius a deal right on the same label that Kane is on. I did ten songs on the album, my brother LG is a producer also and he did four or five. I basically did the whole album. I got a thousand dollars a track that was ten thousand dollars. I said yo, cuz I needed to be able to work full time on my music group and being on the corporate job was getting in the way. I said if I take this ten thousand dollars and put it in the bank and just work real real hard I can quit my job but I’m going to have to work real hard because I can’t let that ten thousand go down. Well ever since then I have been struggling to make sure not to let that ten thousand go down.

Shireal Renee: Ahhh, that’s so hot!
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah, I got a thousand a track, and it would be embarrassing to me today but that was my first that I threw in the bank. I quit my job, and that’s when projects like the Miles Davis doo-bop came about.

Shireal Renee: How did that feel working with Miles Davis?
Easy Mo Bee: That was cool, by that time I had management over with Russell Simmons at his RPM. He had Rush Artist Management, and then he had Rush Producer Management. He had created it for the management of producers so I was over there. And the girl that managed me was Francesca Spera. So one day she came to me and said, “Listen Boob, Russell’s been talking with Miles Davis and Miles wants to get into some hip hop. So they sent over a bunch of stuff and let him listen to it.” Out of all the producers stuff they sent over do you know out of everybody he picked me?

Shireal Renee: Oh my God, that must have been so crazy!
Easy Mo Bee: And then let me tell you how the steps were happening, how everything was important to one another. Guess what got me the gig with Miles Davis?

Shireal Renee: What?
Easy Mo Bee: True Fresh MC by The Genius.

Shireal Renee: NOOOO.
Easy Mo Bee: I know you bugging right?

Shireal Renee: Yeah.
Easy Mo Bee: It took this cat from the 50’s to like True Fresh MC, for Miles Davis to be like, “could I do that for him”. I said, ‘if you want it, yeah’. And he said he wanted it. It was crazy because if I didn’t do that Genius song I would not have gotten that gig. So the Miles Davis thing happens and halfway through he gets sick and he dies. And the album wins a Grammy for best R&B instrumental performance.

Shireal Renee: So now you’re a Grammy winning producer – wow.
Easy Mo Bee: All this happened from like 89 to 92 in that short amount of time. Back then it was something called the Grammy curse. Around that time when anyone won a Grammy their career was finished. In the early 90’s to win a Grammy wasn’t something to be proud of. Not if you considered yourself real hip hop head.

Shireal Renee: Oh word?
Easy Mo Bee: Now everything that “rappers” – notice that I said “rappers”, do is based on winning that Grammy. But the Grammy was shunned on at that time.

Shireal Renee: Because now they are commercial right?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah, I’m up there getting a Grammy and they like, “that ain’t real hip-hop”. One of the best things that could have ever happened to me happened after winning the Grammy. My manager asked me did I know Puffy? I didn’t at the time. She’s told me that he was Andre Hurrel’s intern and he’s got an artist that he brought to Uptown and they need some beats for him so I told them I was going to send you by to play some stuff. I went up there and meet this Puffy dude that I had always heard about, but didn’t know much about. When I get up there, and play the beats he loved them. My manager told me he called her after the meeting and thanked her for sending me because he really liked me, he thought I was dope. Now Puffy puts me and Biggie together in the studio. The first song we did was called Party & Bullshit. And that went towards a soundtrack at the time for a movie “Who’s The Man” with Ed Lover. See what people don’t realize is Biggie was signed to Uptown first. There wasn’t even a Bad Boy yet. Then when Andre Hurrel and Puffy split that’s what compelled Puffy to start Bad Boy Entertainment. At that point he officially signs Biggie, and the first producer that Biggie went into the studio with was Easy Mo Bee, me. The first song we recorded was the title track “Ready to Die”, the second song we started working on after that was “Gimmee Ya Loot”. Then we went on and did “The One”, “Warning”, and “Friend of Mine”. During that same time Puffy had an artist signed to Bad Boy called Craig Mack. He had me do five songs for him.

Shireal Renee: You did “Flavor in Ya Ear right”?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah some of those songs were “Flavor In Ya Ear”, the second single “Get Down”, and then three other joints of mine that didn’t become singles. But those first two were the first two out the gate. And mind you, “Flavor In Ya Ear” put Bad Boy on the map. I still have the clipping from Billboard. “Flavor In Ya Ear” sat sixteen weeks at number one on the hip hop charts back then. And then many more late years later, the only record to top that was Missy, “Hot Boys” remix.

Shireal Renee: Ohhh, ok.
Easy Mo Bee: Another group over at Uptown was The Lost Boys. They wanted me to work for them, the first track we did was “Beemer and The Benz”, then we did a song with Criag Mack, he denied it and passed it off. Then we did another joint on there, and two of them were singles. Then we got “The Coming”, Busta Rhymes. And “It’s A Party” featuring R&B group Sharnay. One of my favorite beats I ever did was that one for Busta Rhymes. It’s a lot going on with that beat.

Shireal Renee: Busta Rhymes is just crazy, you get to really experiment with him because he is just all over the place I presume.
Easy Mo Bee: I love Busta Rhymes. I love his energy; he is a bubble of energy. I’m not gonna lie I really enjoyed doing that “Flavor In Ya Ea”. I went on to work with Queen Latifah, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Dougie Fresh, Wu-Tang, and Mos Def.

Shireal Renee: Tupac?
Easy Mo Bee: Oh, yeah I worked with Tupac, how could I forget.

Shireal Renee: What was it like working with Tupac?
Easy Mo Bee: Oh man, if I said Busta was a bundle of energy, then Tupac was a stick of dynamite.

Shireal Renee: Oh wow!
Easy Mo Bee: He would be up in the studio telling people that already know what they are supposed to do what to do. He had mad energy. He told everybody what to do, and he was super organized. And he came to the studio ready to work. I guess that’s why he left behind so much music. Nobody could sit down and relax. If there was a minute where we were just sitting he would create something to do. I actually had to keep up with this dude in the studio. And he was puffing the weed, so you would think that would slow him down but he was charged.

Shireal Renee: What was it like working with Puffy?
Easy Mo Bee: That’s another man you gotta try and keep up with. He did the same thing Pac did, he would be telling everybody what to do. Sometimes he would do stuff that wasn’t even in his title, like trying to mix and I had to tell him ‘I got it’. He had some cool ideas and Bad Boy wouldn’t have been what it was without him. But let’s not forget Easy Mo Bee opened up that door too.

Shireal Renee: So with that relationship, my understanding is he offered to manage you and do the Hit Man Producer Team but you turned that down?
Easy Mo Bee: Well actually at the time I was already managed by somebody, and he knew who I was managed by. So I told him I would think about it. I never turned him down I just never got back to him.

Shireal Renee: Why didn’t you get back to him?
Easy Mo Bee: He knew I was being managed by someone else. So the Hit Man thing went on, and I never got down with it. But as far as that goes I still was one of the first producers to work with Biggie on an official project. Now I look back and I wonder about it like does Puff not like me because I didn’t take him up on his offer?

Shireal Renee: Why do you think he took your name off the credits for the records that you did? When you remixed those songs?
Easy Mo Bee: Maybe because I didn’t become a Hit Man.

Shireal Renee: I mean isn’t there a bunch of tracks you remixed a bunch of the songs that even Biggie did.
Easy Mo Bee: Oh, you want me to talk about that, I’ll talk about that no problem. I think maybe one of the first real run in’s with Puff happened when we were doing the session for “Flavor In Ya Ear” at Sound on Sound. I wanted to keep the beats somewhat the same but I wanted to add something different. And I remember Chucky Thompson was in the studio sitting up there on top of the file cabinet watching me do this. So we did the remix and turned it in. I was on the promotions list, and they sent the records out to all the DJ’s so when it came to my house I opened it up ready to play it when I look at the record, it said remixed by Sean Puffy Combs, Chucky Thompson, and Easy Mo Bee, in that order. I said whoa, wait a minute what happened here. So my manager and I went up to Bad Boy because I wanted to find out how these credits got like this. I went up there and I asked him ‘what’s this’? And he responds, “what”? I told him ‘you don’t push no buttons and Chucky sat there and watched me do this mix so what’s up with these credits man’? He really didn’t have an answer, so I said ‘please man don’t ever do that again’. I think maybe he felt like I shouldn’t have ever told him that because I noticed after that I wasn’t on anymore projects and I didn’t get called back for a lot of stuff like “Goin Back To Cali”, I wasn’t there to mix it down. I was there to track it down though. “I Love The Dough”, featuring Angela Winbush and Jay-z, those were my songs on that second album. So I tracked the songs, and I remember Big and Jay-Z were up in the studio just pacing writing in their head for about a hour. And then Big came over and said to me him and Jigga was gonna step out real quick and they would be right back – that was the last time I ever saw biggie.

Shireal Renee: What?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah, that was the last time. But anyway I was there to track the beats for Life After Death album that night, the two for “I love The Dough” and “Goin Back To Cali”. So I waited for them to come back and I told D. Dot I had another session the next morning so I had to go. The songs got mixed without me, and I didn’t get to witness Jay-Z and Biggie do they thing. It was so crazy at that time because I produced Big and Pac separately and together. I produced Biggie first and Pac found out and wanted to work with me. We did a song called “Runnin From The Police”, and it got knocked down to “Runnin”. I witnessed both of them being in harmony and when that session was over everything was cool between them. Then I started hearing things about beef, and I’m like what happened man? All I remember was we were in the studio and everything was cool, then something happened that caused the two of them to start going at it with each other and I think we know all the rest. It just became a big sad mess. I’ve always wondered if Puff was jealous or mad that I worked with Pac? All the music Biggie and Pac did got done right before all that beef starting happening. So I always wondered about that, if he was mad that I was working with Pac?

Shireal Renee: So have you and Puff talked since then? Or is there any bad blood between ya’ll?
Easy Mo Bee: He don’t really make himself available, he’s not the easiest person to get to now-a-days. I mean if I seen him I would love to talk to him.

Shireal Renee: And ask him what happened?
Easy Mo Bee: Yeah because it’s on my heart and I want to know what it is. And plus all of that about me coming in the office asking about the credits and all of that misconstrued stuff maybe it’s something we need to talk about. This is the first time I’m being open in an interview because maybe it needs to happen. Let me say this right here, that whole going against each other thing, for instance with Big and Pac, that’s what ended up taking them out of here. A lot of artists got to stop beefing with each other, the lyrics can’t always be about beefing. We gotta get back to making some real records, some real music. We gotta start respecting each other, communicating with each other, and we gotta start getting money together.

Shireal Renee: Yeah.
Easy Mo Bee: And if we were getting money together we need to get that money together again.

Shireal Renee: You know to me you’re a living legend and you’ve worked with just about everyone. How do you keep yourself grounded because like you said you were right there in the beginning, you are a hip hop legend.
Easy Mo Bee: When you say grounded what do you mean?

Shireal Renee: I mean to me this is one of the best interviews I’ve had the opportunity of doing, and I’ve never met you before but I really feel your passion. You seem very genuine, and don’t seem like you’re big-headed. So what keeps you just Boobie? How do you stay that person?
Easy Mo Bee: You know what I learned, and I was just thinking about this, you have to think about what you originally want to do this, what were you eating, who were you hanging with? You can’t forget things like that, even if it means going back around the way, or being around the same people or listening to the same music. I’m not saying be stuck in the past but do those things that made you do those things in the first place. We have to do that. I started from my father playing records, and the first time I started taking action being a DJ. That’s my first passion so now I’m spinning again. Hip Hop is the rap, the beats, the break dancing, the graffiti and all of that. Being a DJ is still an element of that. I think I just try to continue to do all the things I use to and frequent the places I used to so I can keep that same feeling. After all this time you gotta think what keeps you motivated? I have seen TLC rocking at the Hard Rock. What keeps them motivated? I gotta make sure I love this thing here, I gotta love my records. We gotta do that man.

Shireal Renee: More recently you’ve gotten involved with Platinum Ice Records, tell me what’s your affiliation with that.
Easy Mo Bee: AB met Tommy and Casey down in South Carolina and then they formed Platinum Ice. And AB came to me and said, they can’t do it without me and they have to have me on the beats so now they got me down south doing beats. And we’ve came up with some really nice stuff. And most recently, we have Black Box Records, shout-out to my man Damon Jackson. I’m trying to do all I can and still keep it hip hop.

Shireal Renee: So what about Easy Mo Records?
Easy Mo Bee: Easy Mo Records that is dissolved. I don’t want to spend too much time on that but it didn’t pan out the way I wanted it to, keeping it real honest with you. But as you can see it don’t stop me, Black Box is the move, Damon what’s up I see you.

Shireal Renee: That’s what’s up. So final question, what is a quote that you live by that really influence your life every day?
Easy Mo Bee: Let me see. The devil is a liar.

Shireal Renee: That is beautiful.
Easy Mo Bee: Everything is a struggle and the only thing that can stop is negative energy that can even come from you. You have to stay positive and keep it moving, otherwise you are a failure and we can’t fail. What did Jay-z say? “I will not lose”, I have that same concept. And if you gonna be in hip hop it’s about competition. You have to have a competitive spirit, friendly competition.

Shireal Renee: Well I’ve kept you on the phone for over an hour and a half. This has been the best interview I’ve ever had the opportunity of doing and I have to thank you.
Easy Mo Bee: It wasn’t anyanything but a conversation between two people. I enjoyed every minute of it.

platinumicetom@aol.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-24huGBMQ4

 but now is the time for him to show and prove!! Are you ready cause Henry Smith is!!

You said that you incorporate beat boxing into your live performances how did that come about.

I could never get free beats in college from the local producers. So I would beat box my own and record songs to them on a lil10 dollar sponge mic. I started thinking to myself, how can I make my style unique? So I began listening to Rhazel the human beatbox machine, and incorporated his style with mine to become an R&B beat boxer who can sing and beat box at the same time. I started doin it at shows and I was killing the crowd with my “Freakin You” rendition by Jodeci. Go on you tube and type in “Henry Smith beat boxing and singing at the same time Jodeci Freaking You” or you can go to my myspace page where I got several videos up showcasing that at www.myspace.com/henrysmith



You talked about your inspirations, you spoke about the origin of your name, you spoke on about your first experience in the booth but how would you define your style as far as singing?

I’ve been referred to as young Luther, which had me cracking up, but Luther was an amazing singer, artist and performer so I’ll take that compliment any day. I would say that my style is very pleasing to the ear. I got an old school vibe with a new school voice. When I’m really getting down I’m like a Sam Cooke/Bryan Mc Knight mixed in with a lot of Boys II Men and a sprinkle of Rhazel the human beat box. I love serenading the ladies, so I’m definitely a crooner on stage hitting various lows or highs with my falsetto keeping ‘em hot n very excited.



Now let’s take the moment to talk about your lead single featuring Jim Jones “Party with A Superstar”. Congratulations and talk to the reader’s about how that came about.

Thank you and I also want to thank the lord and my manager Michael Goldberg of Phoenix Entertainment for making that possible. I wrote the song in the cutting room studio in Manhattan with one of my writing partners Brannon Woodson aka GLS. My boy Brandon Alexander Hodge whose blowin up as a young up and coming producer actually produced the beat. I linked up with Brandon through one of my other writing partners and great friend Amir Cuyler of The FIEW. Brandon did a remix to the original I beat and I rerecorded the song. The energy was very hot on the new version and my team felt that the track was a strong enough single to push. As far as me featuring Jim Jones on the track, we reached out to his management and they felt it. He jumped on it ASAP. Jim and his team are very cool with my management so everything went pretty smooth. Jimmy swag on the beat was nice so I was definitely satisfied. The collaboration worked out for the best because he had an album coming out around the same time we released the song to the radio. Once leaked onto the net, the track received 20,000 downloads in two days on www.hotnewhiphop.com. I ain’t upload it on there but I was flattered.



As an artist define the fine line of downloading free music for exposure and downloading for free where you’re losing revenue because it’s going to get to that point soonerthan later.

Well honestly I don’t download free music I jus never got into that scene. If I need to hear a song I’ll youtube it or buy it online. Then again 20,000 + more people have heard of me now and could be potential fans due to a free downloading site. As an upcoming independent artist I think it’s a great tool. Once I put a price tag on my music, I can only hope that people/my fans and supporters will buy my music.



Talk about your album like what direction you’re trying to head with it along with features, concepts, and production.

It’s crazy cause I’ve been working on it for a good three years now. I keep getting new ideas and concepts so I can def say it will be a tough album. There will be a lot of ballots because I want folks to feel my pain happiness whatever emotion it is I’m trying to put out. I got a couple mid and fast tempo and tracks. Concepts deal with situations people face on a daily basis. People will be able relate to my songs. I talk a lot about love and lust. Followed by the things I like to do for and to my women. That’s where I see the album. Right now the stage of where I’m at now I find myself listening to my own music so I can critique it and make changes to make the listening experience that much better but I always get the urge to listen to others. As for the name I’m still untitled because I’m still not satisfied with any of the titles I’ve come up with so the title is still up in the air. For anyone who has any ideas feel free to hit me. Half of the production will be done by myself with the other half will feature other producers work. Brandon Alexander Hodge, Hunger, C, Doc-Ish, and several others. The album will also include work from several local artists. Scandel out of Meriden, CT, Messiah out of Hartford and couple others. For most of the tracks I have released they all deal with situations people face on a daily basis so a lot of people can relate to and that’s where I see the album heading. For anyone who has any ideas on a hot album title, feel free to hit me up on myspace or my email and you never know I might just use your title for my album title. Also be on the look out for my second single featuring Messiah titled “Camera Phone” which is definitely a certified banger.



How did you meet up with your management, Phoenix Entertainment?

I met my manager Michael Goldberg through a friend of a friend who I went to high school with. My friend’s mother works for one of Mike’s lawyers and Mike would always let her listen to music that he would get from different artists. One day she told Mike about me and from there on we set up a meeting and he liked what he saw and heard and it was a done deal. Quick shout out to Mrs. Toni Guerrin.



Having been through what you’ve been through do you have any advice for upcoming artists?

I want to make timeless music. So I work my ass off to make it happen. I feel if you’re a new artist and you really want to make it, then you have to live this and if you’re not ready for that commitment then this isn’t for you. I work hard at my full time job sometimes doing back to back 16 hour shifts and I will still go home and work on music for a couple of hours before going back to work. I don’t go to sleep much because I want it that bad. I’m jus lucky that my lovely mother “Nana Ama Adoma” prepared me for life the way she did. I’m thankful for her and most definitely thankful to the lord for blessing me. Best advice to give a new artist like myself is to network your ass off, don’t burn bridges, stay humble, respectful and never to give up.

Hottest Track Recorded

“Rainy Days” or “Camera Phone”

Last CD Bought that Wasn’t Bootleg

Anthony Hamilton

Favorite Get Away

On a stage with a mic and a audience.

Feeling You get from Leaving the Studio After Recording

Great, cause I’ll ride around playing it messing with people telling them it’s a new Bobby Valentino and once I get them I’ll let them know it’s me and hand them a business card.

Artist You Look Forward to Working with

Michael Jackson whose still the king of pop in my eyes. Honestly I’ll work with anyone because I just love making good music.

Favorite Quote

“You can do the impossible immediately and difficult twice as fast!” Shout out to my brothers of Omega psi phi



For a limited time only any artists interested in looking for talented singers make sure you contact me because the first hook is free.

www.henrysmithmusic.com

www.myspace.com/henrysmith

henrysmithmusic@gmail.com

a 5 year sentence and how much it’s changed since she came home!!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mackmama

Mackmama is the self proclaimed “Queen of the Underground” she’s a super talented entertainer who raps and sings making her a double threat. In 2003 she took the underground music industry by storm. The streets were buzzing from Brooklyn,NY to Atlanta,GA about the Sexy Gangstress.Unfortunately In 2005 her reign in the game ended abruptly. She was captured, her hustle finally caught up to her. Mack was sent to prison in CT for a term of five years and it was presumed over for her. After serving four years THE MACK IS BACK! To be honest she’s just in time to breathe some life into the music industry, because female mc’s are damn near extinct. MACKMAMA is truly what the game needs…



BUDDY: What’s up Mackmama? First thing I want to know is what was a pretty woman like you doing to get a five year bid?

MACKMAMA: Well, i was charged with sixty three counts of credit card fraud and my bond was five hundred thousand from the beginning of my incarceration until i got sentenced. Basically they hung ya girl out to dry because I’m from NY and I was a flight risk

Wow thats deep you never really hear females going hard like that and doing big bids , so I definately respect your gangsta, you was getting that paper. So what are your plans now, far as your music career?

I always said I’m the realest chick as far as living what I spit about, I was on my own from the age of 16 when my mom was killed by the AIDS virus so that left me to fend for me and my lil sister. So I had to survive and hustling was how I did it, boosting, robbing, dealing, stealing cars whatever it took to get money. I had a few females under my wing too thus the name Mackmama, but for the record I am fully retired, this last bid wore me out. I don’t have it in me any more, I want to enjoy my freedom and restore my fan base so I can make my dreams a reality. It’s time to shine for the world not just the hood. I have a project that will be released on my Independant label StarStatus Entertainment. It’s called The MACK PACK a collaberation of the best of my underground music along with my newest recordings, plus a DVD with shows and a few videos of myself. My goal is to remind my fans why I am the Realest *itch and introduce myself to a new market.I want everybody to embrace my movement and show me love because all I keep hearing is there’s no female rappers in the game. The Mack is back and I’m ready to make a living off of my talent and leave the other negative shi* alone.



I feel you ma that’s some real talk, you sound focused. Are you staying in CT now?

Yes, I am. I had to relocate until my time that I owe the state of Connecticut is complete I served three and a half years in New York C.I and six months in a mother and child program where I was reunited with my daughter. She’s eight years old now,when I left her she was four. That shit killed me. I am looking forward to 2010 because I will be completely finished with my time and can make moves but until then I plan to get it in here in CT. I love it here it’s close to NY and It’s affordable. I live out in the Valley and it’s great for my daughter. I rep NY, OHIO and now CT, I get mad love in these states.



That’s what’s up! How can people hear your music now?

My website is www.mackmamaworld.com and I have songs from my forthcoming CD. I also have a hot joint that I did wih Styles P from D-BLOCK. That’s probaly going to be my first single. I need to get up with my dude Styles, so if you’re reading this homie holla @ ya girl MackMama. I’m home and I want to get this paper. Lets get It! Also people can go to Youtube and check out some footage of some of my shows and interviews. If you google me a couple of fugazies pop up but there’s a lot on there about the real MACKMAMA so don’t be confused with all the lil Macks running around. I’m the realest *itch!!



Okay, I’m sure we won’t be confused because nobody got them curves or those sexy lips.

Thanks baby, I worked hard to keep my looks perserved. I stayed working out in my cell, I had my whole tier on some workout shi* at one point, and I didn’t eat that garbage in the chowhall or junk food. I was so focused on being Mackalicious when I hit the streets and now is the time for me to make it happen.



Haahaa well it definately worked! So have you performed since you’ve been home?

Naw, not yet but I did a couple of showcases at some underground events but it was a light crowd. I’m used to opening up for A-list artists so I want to do venues like the Palace Theater or a jam packed Toads Place. I’m actually going to be promoting parties with my partner Sparkles so shout out to Kenya, my right hand chick. She’s one of the realest females In CT. Our first party will be an all white affair welcoming me home. I love to party and my freedom is a great cause for a celebration. We will have a listening party for my MACKPACK release. I have alot of grown and sexy events planned so I’m counting on CT to support and party with me because when I blow I definately won’t forget the love. I never forget where I come from and I’ve met some good folks out here

Damn Mack, I’m feeling you and I wish you all the success you deserve. I like the fact that you write all your own lyrics and everything I heard is street certified.You get the Street Confinement stamp of approval ma. You are a sexy gangsta diva and the game does need you.

Thank you so much Buddy, you and Street Confinement have shown me so much love. I appreciate everything and I will support your brand in anyway I can. Before I go I wanna thank Joe Ugly and UglyRadio.net for showing me love. My family and few friends who actually held me down during my bid. I love each and every one of you and my OBG’s (Original Bad Girls) still behind the bars waiting for freedom, Shine, hold ya head ma your time is coming. As for everybody tryna come up,

 http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=1340591769514&set=a.1306953008566.41728.1672793871

Time Friday, February 4 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
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Location Channel 1
220 State Street
New Haven, CT

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Created By Storm Projects Arts, Lou Cox

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More Info An art exhibit celebrating Black History! Inspired by the black baseball players of the Negro Leagues. It will include artists from Boston, New Haven, and New York...

Boston: Marka 27, Deme 5, Kwest, Problak, Lee Adam Beard, Stephen Hamiton

New Haven: Dooley O, Krikko, Curtis Cofield, Sam Gibbons, Jahmane, Will Corprew, Tom Ficklin

New York: Renaldo Davidson, Jo Jo

~~Music brought to you by DJ Dooley O and El Amado~~

SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE SHOWING!

**Anthony Thompson Adeagbo, Performing "Jesse B. Simple"**
*ONE NIGHT ONLY*~~February 26, from 6-9pm!!!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?fbid=480688589772&id=761514772&aid=265618

http://www.go4eva.com/

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=489329004886&set=t.100000561774910&ref=nf#!/album.php?fbid=10150099689888689&id=585698688&aid=299063

• http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tomficklin.blogspot.com%2F&h=2f125
• https://twitter.com/ficklin

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=53509&id=174084542613645&page=2#!/album.php?aid=14551&id=100000883692822

 WWW.LIVESTREAM.COM/STREETCONNFINEMENTTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuPj-jNCtHI

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=53509&id=174084542613645&page=2#!/album.php?aid=53509&id=174084542613645