Volume 2, Issue #9

Remy a.k.a Kenyatta Quinn

When Remy first broke into the music industry, he found the life of a rap artist wasn’t exactly what he originally perceived. After releasing the popular club jam “That’s right” which featured Jacki-O, he decided to walk away from the mic and head in another direction. First, the Miami native landed a job at BMG as a songwriter which led to his production/publishing career at Sesac (Camp 8 Publishing). His experiences in the field has given Remy, 28, the opportunity to have worked with several gifted artists. Much of whom will appear on his new mix tape that is expected to be finished by early November.

Five Questions for Remy:

1) What prompted the change from artist to producer / songwriter? “I got discouraged. I didn’t feel like I had full range as an artist. It was always what the labels wanted. I started to learn about the production side and found my niche. I’m not the stage kind of guy. I felt more comfortable behind the scenes.”

2) Did you feel you’re benefitting from the move? “Definitely. I’m doing what I want, not what others want me to do. There’s a lot less stress involved now. I’m much more laid back. Besides all of that, people get to see that you have a lot more than just one talent.”

3) Last year you wrote “Invincible” and it ended up in the hands of Britney Spears. Although it was eventually left off her album “In The Zone”, the exposure lead to your gig at Sesac. Were you happy or sad? “I was happy. [Spears] was doing her own thing, trying to write her own songs. Plus she was working with Madonna. When I found out it didn’t make it, I wasn’t upset. I knew there would be other opportunities.”

4) Tell us about your new mix tape you’re working on.
“Pittbull, who is blowing up right now, will be on it. Plus Jacki-O, who I’ve worked with before. Plus tracks by Cool &Dre, Al B Silk and DJ Envy Styles are expected. It’s going to be real hot.”

5) Who do you feel are the best producers in the game right now and which artists would you like to work with in the near future? “I think Babyface, Dallas Austin and Lil’ John are amazing. They have such unique styles that influence everyone. As far as artists, I would love to do something with Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Cee Lo (Goody Mob) and Maroon 5.”

----Joseph Barracato  

Guerilla Black

It seems every few months 2 Pac releases a CD, stars in a movie or has a new video out. The rumors of his existence are fueled by all his activity in the entertainment world long after his “death”. But besides a few lost tapes, the Notorious B.I.G. has hardly been heard from since his unfortunate passing, until now. West coast rapper Guerilla Black, born Charles Williamson, is about to refresh the hip-hop scene of what Biggie not only sounded like, but looked like. His deep, burly voice coupled with a rather large build is raising the question, “Has Biggie been reincarnated out West?” Black, who respects Biggie’s work but wants to create his own entity, is set to drop his debut album “Guerilla City” on September 28. Black, 27, has teamed up with several extremely talented producers including Jazze Pha (Big Tymers, Nappy Roots), Carlos Brody (Biggie, Lil' Kim, Nas) and Red Spyda (50 Cent & G-Unit) to ensure his debut will sizzle. The first two singles “Guerilla Nasty” and “Compton” which features Beenie Man have already set the tone for what could become an instant classic.

Five facts about Guerilla Black:

1) Black was originally born in Chicago before his family moved to Mississippi as he was about to enter his teenage years. From there, his mother moved the family to California where they settled in a Long Beach shelter before making their eventual home in the crime-filled streets of Compton.

2) While growing up in Compton, Black found himself running with gangs. As a teen, he survived being shot and an attempted murder rap. He openly admits to still having a relationship with a few branches of the Crips.

3) Following the death of his wife, who lost her battle with spiral meningitis, Black walked away from the rap game. Her passing threw his world upside down and the L.A. lyricist didn’t want to have anything to do with rhyming anymore.

4) Black credits his older brother for introducing him to the game. While growing up, Black followed his older siblings lead and began to write down his own songs. Before he knew it, the Compton product had tons of impressive material. His older brother is also responsible for getting Black back into rap after his wife’s passing.

5) In addition to his studio album, Black plans to release a couple of mix tapes. He’s already dropped "Hood Affiliated Mixtape Vol. 1" and wants to give his fans at least 50 songs to enjoy this year.

----Joseph Barracato

Is The Wu In Wu-Tang Relevant In Today's Uncertain Hip Hop Market?


Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan announced this past week that their first show in a decade in which all nine of its significant members were assembled together will be available this fall in the form of CD and DVD. The album "Disciples of the 36 Chambers", which was recorded during a July 17 set at the Rock the Bells festival in San Bernardino, Calif., will be in stores on September 28, with the video to follow two weeks later.


But the recent news has sparked the question, “Are the Wu-Tang Clan even relevant in the rap scene anymore?”Of course, that argument would have been absurd to present a mere three years ago. But since the release of the group’s fourth album “Iron Flag”, which sold a very disappointing 446,960 copies, that dispute seems debatable. Consider this, in 1993 The Clan unleashed “Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” that has sold 1,865,841 copies. Then in 1997, the group dropped their second masterpiece “Wu-Tang Forever” which has moved 1,942,288 units.


Their luck hasn’t been any better on the solo front either. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s 1995 classic “Return To The 36 Chambers” has sold 846,688 copies. Since 2002, his “The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones” has moved only 154,963 units. Ghostface Killah could only sell 14,075 records on last year’s “Shaolin’s Finest” after a productive 847,345 on 1996’s “Iron Man” and 591,963 for 2000’s “Supreme Cilentele”. Even though the GZA’s 2002 “Legend of the Liquid Sword” which went for 152,164 copies failed in caparison to his 1995 gem “Liquid Swords” that topped it in sales (598,318) and most importantly quality.


Only the Method Man’s “Tical” (1,545,850), “Tical 2000: Judgment Day” (1,576,413) and Raekwon’s “Only Built For Cuban Linx” (1,004,580), which were all released at the height of the Clans popularity, can be considered a success for the bar they originally set. The RZA, who has recently said that the release of the concert could be a rebirth for the Wu, must know something we don’t.


----Joseph Barracato

Q: Why should I consider videogames placement for my song(s)?

-- Tracer 5, Phase n' Light

A: In today’s extremely volatile market, aspiring and established artists must continue to promote--dare I say exploit--their songs in every available entertainment vehicle. This includes film, TV, commercials, and yes videogames.

Believe it or not EA Trax, sister company to EA Sports earned the first platinum videogame soundtrack certification from the RIAA for NBA Live 2003. This huge accomplishment has prompted many labels to submit songs from new and established artists for consideration on new titles beig released from gaming/software companies. In fact, groups like N.E.R.D, Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx have experienced increased sales because of their inclusion in videogames like FIFA 2004, NBA Live 2003 and SSX3.

It should be noted that a few years ago this space was virtually unheard of. However, as labels and publishers looked for more ways to increase their artists market reach the competition in this space has increased dramatically. Therefore, you should expect huge amounts of competition for the slots that you are able to find/submit to. And as always I strongly recommend that you continue to network and build your database of music supervisors at companies like EA and Rockstar.

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