Tag: Memphis Flyer

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Letters To The Editor Opinion

Letters to the Editor

The Flyer is Right-wing?

Just finished John Ryder’s Viewpoint titled “Fiscal Notes” in the December 13th issue. Some thoughts:

Really? A Republican bankruptcy attorney lecturing me about fairness and morality? Hilarious. And by the way, that’s a sweet gig, Mr. Ryder — personally profiting from all the bankruptcies your party’s politics create. Sort of like a perpetual motion machine.  

“A flatter tax is a fairer tax” is classic Republican illogic. As in, “If they take away our guns, how will we ever protect our schoolkids?”

And a word to the editorial staff of the Flyer which gave this shyster a forum: Recently, you’ve run a number of Republican editorials and innumerable wingnut letters to the editor, as if you’re trying to be as fair and balanced as Farce News. Cease and desist. 

I will remind you that you would not exist if you were to stop promoting (exploiting?) Memphis musicians, artists, writers, and miscellaneous performers. Unfortunately, that’s a left-wing crowd that Republicans don’t associate with and can’t even understand. If you want to stay in business, you would be well-advised to dance with them that brung ya, because in a connected world, we don’t actually need your newspaper to find out where our favorite bands are playing.  

I’ve been an avid reader and a big fan of the Flyer from the beginning, but I’m just about done, because every day, the actual value of the Flyer gets closer to what I pay for it.

Jim Adams

Memphis

Guns Again

Well, another week, another mass shooting. This time, schoolchildren were the victims. The question now is, when will the NRA, Ron Ramsey, and Fox News say if only the kids had had guns, this tragedy could have been avoided?

One has to wonder how they will try to explain how a Memphis policewoman, a mother of four, was killed the same day. After all, she was a trained police officer and was armed. This brave woman was killed in the line of duty.

Guns are not the answer to these horrific events. Taking guns away from law-abiding Americans is not the answer. We must have more enforceable background checks — checks that include profiles of those who purchase guns and ammo. We know that it doesn’t matter if you have an IQ of 70 or are mentally ill; you can buy a gun, as long as you don’t have an arrest record.

Recently in the Memphis area, a mother handed her son a loaded weapon and let him mess around with it. He shot his sister. The mother paid a fine.

A father shot his 2-year-old son in his car after leaving a gun store.

This sort of thing goes on, day after day, month after month, and year after year. Still the NRA and the politicians they own are silent. I am a gun owner and my son has a carry permit. My rifle and his pistol are locked up. We keep ammo and clips separate from our guns. Should it be the law that all gun owners have to have gun safes in their homes and cars? Should they have to have a mental profile done along with a gun-safety course? I guess they will have to ask their NRA master, Wayne LaPierre.   

Jack Bishop

Memphis

CellPhone Tracking

The device in your jacket, jeans, or purse that you think is a cellphone is actually a tracking device that happens to be able to make and receive calls. Thanks to the explosion of GPS technology and smartphone apps, these devices are also taking note of what we buy, where and when we buy it, how much money we have in the bank, whom we text and email, and more.

Cellular systems constantly check and record the location of all phones in their networks. If someone knows exactly where you are, they probably can guess what you are doing.

We love these devices, but it would make sense to call them what they are, so we can fully understand what they do and what their impact is on our society and our right to privacy.

Ron Lowe

Nevada City, California

Dagmar

God fearin’ and gun lovin’ is the reality in this country. God lovin’ and gun fearin’ is a dream for this country.

Dagmar Bergan

Helena, Arkansas

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Memphis Author To Appear On The Maury Show Today

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Today, Marcus Matthews, native Memphian and author of I Am Not the Father: Narratives of Men Falsely Accused of Paternity, will be featured on the nationally syndicated program, The Maury Show at 4pm CST.

On the show, Matthews will discuss his book, upcoming documentary, and his personal story of being falsely accused of paternity when he was a 17-year-old senior at Westside High School.

“False paternity is something that affects so many people. It’s something that the public needs to hear [about],” Matthews said. “Getting the opportunity to talk about it on Maury accomplishes the goal of getting it out there. More than three million [viewers] will get to hear my story in brief and have the opportunity to learn more about my story if they purchase the book.”

Matthews released his book, I Am Not the Father, in August 2010. It profiles his personal account of being falsely accused of paternity, along with stories from four other men who were also falsely accused. He’s currently prepping the release of a documentary centered on the same topic.

In February of this year, I wrote a cover story on Matthews and the false paternity epidemic. You can read it here.

Nationwide, about 17 percent of all paternity tests reveal that a child’s alleged father is not, in fact, the biological father. In Tennessee, 25 percent of paternity testing reveals the man not to be the biological father, according to the Department of Human Services

In Memphis, the percentage of men excluded by DNA paternity tests is significantly higher than the national average. Stephen Conn, director of Medical Testing Resources, says from 55 to 75 percent of the paternity cases he handles each month in Memphis are found to be “exclusions.” His company does about 90 percent of the private paternity tests in the city.

To find out how Matthews’ experience on The Maury Show went, pick up next week’s edition of the Memphis Flyer.

You can order I Am Not the Father exclusively on Matthews’ website: marcuslmatthews.com
Follow him on twitter: @MarcusLMatthews

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Tomorrow Isn’t Promised: My reflections on a fatal accident along I-240

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Yesterday (Nov. 26th), I took a detour to get to work. I usually take Poplar or I-55 to get to the Memphis Flyer headquarters.

Traffic had been backed up lately on I-55 due to road construction, so I decided to take I-240 instead.

As I took the I-240 North exit toward downtown, I noticed that cars were backed up. It appeared that I decided to take this exit on the wrong day.

After accelerating 2mph every so often for about five minutes, cars began to increase pace. That’s when I noticed southbound vehicles on I-240 were backed up as well.

Approaching the exit for South Parkway, I saw multiple police cars, a fire truck, and several cars parked on the side of the road. People were standing outside their cars in the rain, looking on at something I could not see. As I drove a few more feet up, I saw a Mack Truck with a white car smashed on the side of it.

The image brought a cold feeling across my body. Inside of my mind, something told me that it was a good chance whoever drove the car didn’t make it.

Still in awe, I slowly drove on to take the Union Avenue exit. I was in shock as I drove through the traffic lights along Union. The image of the crashed car was burned into my mind.

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It made me reflect on a roadway accident that I was involved in, where I could have lost my life. It was my sophomore year at the University of Memphis. Christmas break had come around, and I was heading home to see my father in Chattanooga.

I was in my Honda Accord, which already had some wear and tear on it (prior to leaving, I had been involved in two fender benders and a hit and run with an old Silverado pickup truck).

As I came off of I-565 East in Madison, Alabama, I traveled down a small hill. I drove calmly in the right lane as I went through several lights, passing gas stations and fast food spots. I noticed an 18-wheeler in my rear-view move over into the left lane.

As the 18-wheeler got halfway in front of me, the driver — a middle-aged male — began to merge over into my lane. It seemed as if he was oblivious to my much smaller automobile.

The semi-trailer portion of the big rig slammed repeatedly into the driver’s side of my car. The impact sent my Honda swerving in and out of the lane. I was eventually knocked off the road and into a ditch.

I didn’t see my life flash before my eyes as I swerved, but it definitely terrified me (I was scared as a turkey in November). Fortunately, I came out of the accident without any bumps or bruises. The only casualty was the driver’s side of my champagne Honda Accord, which was completely dented in and lacerated.

After it was over, my perspective on life changed. I learned to appreciate everything much more — good and bad.

Looking back on the experience years later, I’m thankful that the Lord spared my life. I know that so many more people are less fortunate. In Tennessee alone, there have been more than 900 roadway fatalities this year thus far.

Furthermore, Memphis has the third highest roadway fatalities percentage in the state with 132 so far, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety. Nashville has the highest amount with 181 roadway fatalities this year. Knoxville has the second highest with 146 roadway fatalities.

The incident on I-240 bothered me so much that I looked up the accident as soon as I got to my desk at work.

When I googled information on the crash at I-240, the search engine instantly revealed that the wreck left one individual dead and one person in critical condition.

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As the day went on, I received an update from the Memphis Police Department’s Public Information Office that revealed the crash’s details:

On Monday, November 26, 2012 at approximately 8:00 a.m., officers received a Fatal Crash call to I-240 south of South Parkway.

Upon arrival, officers located a three car crash at this location. The preliminary investigation revealed that Vehicle#1, 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, was traveling southbound on I-240 in the middle lane when the driver of Vehcile#1 attempted to change lanes striking Vehicle#2, 2000 Ford Taurus. After striking Vehicle#2, the driver of the Cirrus then struck Vehicle#3, 2009 Mack Truck, which was also traveling southbound I-240.

The driver of Vehicle#1, 24-year-old Monique Howard, was pronounced deceased on the scene. A passenger of Vehicle#1, 24-year-old female, was transported to the Regional Medical Center in critical condition. Driver#2, 35-year-old female, was transported to the Regional Medical Center in non-critical condition. Driver#3, 48-year-old male, was not injured.

I’m still in awe that I saw the aftermath of the scene that left one person deceased, another critically injured, and many more with the wake-up call that it’s important to drive carefully, defensively and stay alert at all times.

It’s safe to assume that the driver of the Chrysler Cirrus didn’t think she would lose her life yesterday. It’s extremely unfortunate that it happened in such a gruesome manner.

Stating that, I’m a firm believer in the saying, “everything happens for a reason.” This should be another solemn reminder that life is not promised. You can lose it at any second.

May God be with all of the families involved and affected by the crash on I-240. I’ll keep you all in my prayers.

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Memphis Emcee Skewby is Humble But Hungry

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As a young journalist, the first artist I interviewed was Memphis emcee Skewby. It was for a story I wrote in 2010 on Memphis rap for the University of Memphis student newspaper The Daily Helmsman. The article, “Rap: the good, the bad, the ugly,” focused on whether or not rap music has the power to truly influence its listeners.

A couple years later, I got the chance to interview Skewby again — well, actually twice. He’s one of the 10 influential Memphians I interviewed for the Flyer cover story, “How Do We Change Memphis?”

A week later, he took some more time out to speak with me about growing up in Memphis, his musical career, why he’s refraining from signing to a major record label, and who influenced him musically. I learned some cool things about Skewby’s upbringing and his introduction into the hip-hop culture.

A military baby, Skewby moved often with his family. They eventually ended up migrating to Memphis from Charleston, South Carolina. He quickly took a liking to the local rap scene.

“When I got here, all the kids looked up to Three 6 Mafia,” said the 24-year-old emcee. “They had personal stories of meeting Project Pat or meeting 8-Ball at a barbecue spot. They were like idols. It pushed me to express my opinion in that same way.”

Known for boasting a laid-back, soulful flow, he admits that, as a kid, he spit his verses in a fast-spaced fashion similar to Koopsta Knicca or Lord Infamous (both formerly with Three 6 Mafia).

He was also heavily influenced by artists who told stories in their verses, such as Project Pat, arguably one of the best southern storytellers within hip-hop.

“Project Pat had his own style. His flow patterns were different,” Skewby said. “He was actually a lyricist, which was something that a lot of Memphis emcees weren’t doing. I mean 8-Ball and MJG told stories, but outside of them, Pat was the new wave of that. He used to make you feel like you were in the movie theater when you listened to him.”

Skewby began doing his own share of storytelling within his music. Releasing music independently since a youth, he made his national introduction into hip-hop with the 2009 mixtape Proving You Wrong Since 1988.

The mixtape received great responses and helped him earn a placement in The Source magazine’s “Unsigned Hype” column, which has also featured artists such as Nas, the late Notorious B.I.G., DMX, and Eminem before they went on to sell millions of records. He was the first Memphis rap artist to be featured in the famed column.

“I had a complete album done with all original music before I released the mixtape, and I just didn’t like it,” Skewby said. “I listened to it all the time and it really just sounded like what was going on at the time [within] mainstream hip-hop. I thought, ‘what do I really just love?’ It was that ’90s hip-hop. It was that late ’80s feel. I wanted to pay homage, because I feel like a lot of kids, as time goes on, don’t know where hip-hop comes from. I thought it would be cool to pay homage [to that era] while making some dope music that people can listen to today at the same time.”

After releasing the mixtape, he also got a chance to tour with Lil’ Wayne for his Farewell Tour, and received endorsements from the likes of famed producer 9th Wonder and Memphis’ own Yo Gotti.

Proving You Wrong’s follow-up installment came in 2010 with the digital album, More or Less, which was followed by the 2012 EP Humble Pie.

“I treated More or Less like an album. I wanted it to be me and I also wanted to get away from what I did on Proving Me Wrong,” Skewby said. “If you listen to More or Less, I sing on some of the records. I have different sounds and instruments. It was more like me trying to show people that I can make complete songs rather than just rap.

“Humble Pie is like a realization to me. As you get older, you get to know yourself better. The one thing that I keep finding out about myself is that I’m not the entertainer guy. For some people, it’s easy to sacrifice a certain part of themselves to obtain certain things. I can’t do that, and that’s what Humble Pie was about — [showing that] I’m comfortable with myself and enjoying my life just as it is. Is there anything wrong with that? Nah.”

In addition to rapping, Skewby also contributes some of the production for his releases. He’s even produced for other artists. The one song that stands out among the tracks he’s laid is “Southside (Grey Cassette)” by YMCMB artist Short Dawg. The song features the late Pimp C, which is one of Skewby’s favorite artists.

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Skewby recently jumped into the world of merchandising with the release of his Humble Hoodie. A black hoodie with the word “humble” emblazoned in the middle of it, it can be purchased here.

Before ending our interview, I asked Skewby to name the top five artists, dead or alive, he would like to work with if given the chance.

“I want to work with Common, UGK,” he said, “Curtis Mayfield on the hook, 2Pac, and a skit from Richard Pryor — he was the man.”

Skewby’s currently prepping a new EP and full-length album. He plans to release both in 2013.

Follow him on Twitter: @Skewby
Visit his website: Somethingaboutskewby.com
Follow me on Twitter: @Lou4President

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

On the Come Up: Knowledge Nick

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If there were a search for a true emcee in the Bluff City, people wouldn’t have to look any further than 23-year-old Hip-Hop head, Nick “Knowledge Nick” Hicks.

The University of Memphis graduate and Towers Watson analyst has been dabbling with words since his mid-teens.

“Writing songs started off as something to do for fun, but as time progressed it became my form of relief,” Hicks said. “When nothing is there and nobody is there, music is there for me to release my innermost feelings.”

A hobby during his teen years has blossomed into a second career. Hicks has two albums under his belt, The Enlightenment and The Transcribed Sentiment, which he estimates have collectively moved more than 1,000 units.

He’s currently prepping for the release of his third album, “Memphis: The Soul of Hip Hop,” on December 8th. Along with his previous work, his latest project can be purchased on knowledgenick.bandcamp.com.

“The new album is like an ode to Memphis and all the influences from my upbringing,” he said. “This album broadened my track selection horizon. With my first two, it was more or less like I could only listen to them in a certain setting, which is cool. But I think with this album, it’ll reach so many different people and you can listen to it in different settings — when you’re riding, at home, whatever.”

Hicks released a four-song EP in September to provide fans with an appetizer while they wait for the full course this December.

On the EP’s opening track, “Livin’ the Broke Life,” Hicks finds himself expressing the hardships that come with pursuing a rap career while low on funds. At the end of each verse, he states, “Even though I live the broke life, I’m blessed regardless,” which conveys his dedication to stay driven despite any obstacles. Boonie Mayfield produced the track.

With the second song, “The Karma,” Hicks provides listeners with an earful on his failure to grasp the true meaning of love during his younger years.

He spits honest, heartfelt lyrics about seeking women primarily for physical satisfaction but over time developing a different appreciation for them. Over a mellow beat laced by Fathom 9, Hicks cites utilizing God’s unconditional love to help eradicate the old habit and enjoy growth.

The third track, “Reign Supreme II,” featuring Toby York, would make hip-hop legends such as KRS-One (Hicks’ favorite emcee) and the Wu-Tang Clan proud with the stellar lyrical deliveries provided on it. The song is produced by Arze Kareem and boasts an East Coast-oriented feel.

The EP’s final song, “Flexxin No Plexxin’,” featuring Sincere and A-Quest, finds Hicks and company showcasing their lyrical prowess once again. The smooth, bass-ridden track provided by Mark G is a great addition to the trio’s witty lyrics, which don’t disappoint.

Hicks’ music possesses a sound that’s different than the typical Memphis rap artist. He has the ability to cater to the raw and gritty hip-hop heads, along with those who prefer a more laidback and mellow delivery.

He credits his diverse delivery to growing up on a wide variety of artists that include Playa Fly, Three 6 Mafia, Gangsta Blac, KRS-One, EPMD and Gang Starr.

Although he’s chosen to take a musical lane that might not be every Memphis rap fan’s cup of tea, he’s not worried about this limiting his success.

“I think Memphis has to really embrace the fact that there are a crop of artists who are different, who are just changing. It’s not the same monotony of stuff just being infiltrated over and over and over again. I think change is good from time to time,” he said.

Follow him on Twitter: @kdotnick

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Flying High: My experience aboard the Memphis Belle

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A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to fly nearly 2,000 feet above the city on a replica of the legendary aircraft, the Memphis Belle. I wrote about the experience in the Memphis Flyer’s Fall Fashion issue (Oct. 18-24th).

Many are familiar with the Memphis Belle, but for those who aren’t, the aircraft was one of the first B-17 World War II bombers to complete 25 missions and safely return all of its crew members. When I boarded her replica, I prayed that I’d have the same fate.

My flight came courtesy of the Salute to Veterans national tour, presented by the Liberty Foundation, which began in March. The tour stops in a different city every weekend, and was developed to bring awareness to WWII veterans. According to the Liberty Foundation, more than 1,500 veterans die per day.

Since March, the Memphis Belle replica, which was used in the 1990 film “Memphis Belle,” has traveled to cities such as St. Louis, Tulsa, Minneapolis, and Chicago providing rides to locals. During each stop, local veterans also come out and share their war experiences.

“My goal is to let the local veterans know not only do we appreciate the sacrifices in WWII, but we wouldn’t be sharing this history today without them,” said Scott Maher, director of operations for the Liberty Foundation and one of the Memphis Belle’s pilots. “We want [people] to come out and experience these things in its natural habitat, which is in the air. The experience gives a history lesson that’s not in the pages of a dusty book.”

The original Memphis Belle is being restored at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The replica I flew aboard was equipped with 10 seats, 13 50-caliber machine guns and bombs, and a glass nose, from which passengers can gaze down onto the city.

Flying throughout the city on the historical aircraft was something I never thought I’d have the opportunity to experience, but I’m thankful that I did.

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Sinister Thoughts: My analysis on the horror film, Sinister

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Last weekend, I traveled to the Paradiso and purchased a ticket for the supernatural horror film, Sinister.

A good friend of mine informed me that it would be “a great horror flick to check out.” That advice, along with the fact that James Blum (Insidious, Paranormal Activity) produced the movie, finalized my decision to watch it.

The movie was released on Friday, Oct. 12th and stars Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Hamlet, Assault on Precinct 13), Juliet Rylanche, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Vincent D’Onofrio (Brooklyn’s Finest, Full Metal Jacket, Men In Black), and others. Besides Hawke and D’Onofrio, I wasn’t familiar with the cast.

The film centers on Hawke’s character, who plays a true-crime novelist named Ellison Oswalt. He, along with his attractive, English wife Tracy (Rylanche) and their two kids Trevor (Michael Hall D’Addario ) and Ashley (Clare Foley), move into a home in which the previous residents were murdered. Initially, Oswalt is the only one who has knowledge of the murder.

Minutes into the movie, the murder (the family of four was hung from a tree in the backyard) is displayed across the screen in Super 8 camera-style footage.

That captured my attention instantly. I hadn’t done much research on the movie’s plot, so that built up intrigue.

As the movie progressed, I found out the significance behind the murder: Oswalt is using it as the basis for his latest novel.

Oswalt finds a box in the attic labeled “home movies” that has a projector and several reels of footage inside. He views the reels throughout the film. Each reel, which has its own title, shows families being murdered in various ways — having their throats slit, being drowned, hung, burned to death, and having their heads run over with a lawnmower.

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The footage made me think about the harsh reality that real people have probably been murdered in similar fashions. Nevertheless, I was curious to see what would happen next in the movie.

As Sinister continued, Oswalt began to analyze the footage, taking note of things that caught his eye. He noticed a bizarre, demonic face appearing in each reel.

When I saw the dark, demonic figure for the first time, it spooked me a little bit. It just looked evil. It also built up more suspense, and I stayed glued to my seat for the bulk of the film.

As Oswalt continued observing the films, he also noticed a strange symbol painted near each of the murders, and that there’s a young child missing in each of the families. With the help of a deputy (Ransone), Oswalt investigates the murders to determine if they’re related.

He’s also put in contact with a college professor (D’Onofrio) who specializes in religion. The professor informs him that the demonic figure in the home movies is a pagan deity named Bughuul.

Known as an eater of children’s souls, Bughuul is presumed to be responsible for influencing young children to murder their families and then travel off with him to a different world.

I felt a few chill-bumps when Oswalt and the professor discussed the demonic being. I thought he was going to appear out of the air and start annihilating people. Unfortunately, this DIDN’T happen.

What DID happen was a series of creepy events inside the house: The film projector starts mysteriously running in the middle of the night. Dead children play a game of hide-n-seek through the house. Oswalt sees all five children who were missing during the time that their families were murdered viewing one of the home movies in the attic. This is also when Bughuul makes an appearance that frightens Oswalt and sends him falling through the floor of the attic.

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After seeing a physical sighting of Bughuul, Oswalt becomes concerned for his family’s safety. He decides to burn the box of home movies, discontinue his novel, and move his wife and kids out the haunted house and back into their previous place.

A new beginning for the family?

Of course not! It wouldn’t be a true horror movie if that were the case. I must add that I personally would have been pissed off if the credits rolled after the family left the haunted house. The movie wouldn’t have been complete.

Oswalt makes a shocking discovery while in the house’s attic: the box of home movies that he burned at the previous home has made its way to the new house without a burn on it. The box also has an additional reel of film inside that’s labeled “extended endings.”

Of course Oswalt checks the new footage out. It shows the same murders as the past reels did, but this time the missing child from each of the families comes onscreen before disappearing. This implies that the kids are responsible for the slayings of their families.

It doesn’t stop there.

Oswalt receives shocking word from the deputy that there’s a link to all of the murdered families: they all lived in the same house where the hanging took place before they moved to new locations, which subsequently resulted in their murders. In other words, he basically informed Oswalt that he and his family were probably going to die and there was nothing they could do to avoid it.

Shortly after he’s provided the startling information from the deputy, Oswalt begins to feel weird from the “coffee” he was drinking and loses consciousness. When he comes to, he notices that he’s tied up and gagged. The same fate goes for his wife and son.

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What about little Ashley??? Why isn’t she tied and gagged too??? Uhmm, it’s because little Ashley is the culprit that tied and gagged her fam.

She appears in the room where they’re laying with an axe and video camera in hand.

The next occurrence is pretty predictable but I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen the film.

After the credits rolled, I left the Paradiso satisfied with Sinister’s performance overall. The murders weren’t as graphic as I would have expected, and the film had its dull moments here and there, but overall it was a well-created horror movie. Outside of Insidious, it was definitely one of the best scary movies that I’ve seen in a while.

Next up for me is Paranormal Activity 4. I wonder if it will knock Sinister out of the water? Only time will tell.

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Q & A With Fiend

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The third annual “Grammy GPS: A Roadmap for Today’s Music Biz” took place this past Saturday at the Stax Music Academy and Museum of American Soul Music. Sponsored by the Memphis chapter of the Recording Academy, the event featured a number of local and national influential music figures including hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, Grammy-winning engineers Andrew Scheps and Chris Finney, Grammy-winning producer Steve Jordan, and many more.

During panel discussions, the guests provided insight on music marketing, promoting in small markets, producing and engineering, exploring social consciousness through hip-hop, and other topics.

New Orleans-bred rapper, Fiend, spoke on two panels during the event. A true southern legend, he’s released a nice catalog of albums including There’s One In Every Family and Street Life on No Limit Records, Can I Burn 2 (my personal favorite), Go Hard or Go Home, among other solid installments.

In recent years, Fiend has adopted a mellow and soulful delivery that differs from his aggressive style in the ’90s and early into the new millennium. Although he owns his own label, Fiend Entertainment, he’s also signed to popular lyricist and fellow New Orleanean Curren$y’s imprint, Jet Life Recordings.

I got a chance to speak with Fiend about his experience at Grammy GPS, how he likes the Bluff City, his music history, where he likes to travel, and a handful of other things.

Follow Fiend on Twitter: @Fiend4daMoney
Check out his websites Fienddigital.com and Sleepybeartees.com
Download his latest mixtapes for free on datpiff.com or livemixtapes.com. Fiend plans to release a new mixtape mid-October.

Flyer: How was your experience at the event?

Fiend: It was dope. I met some cool ass people. I networked with people. I hung out with some people who share the same interests that I have. Good times. It was a hell of an experience. I can’t wait until the next one.

What’s one thing that you shared with attendees regarding the music industry?

Just stay focused and be patient, and let great things happen with your music. You’ve got to get out there and believe in you and promote and represent. And do it the best you can every chance you can. If not, nobody’s going to take you seriously.

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How do you like Memphis?

I love it out here. I don’t get a chance to come out here as much as I would like. When I do, I like to visit Select-O-Hits. From now on, I’ll be visiting Stax. I just like the city. Get me a spot at the Peabody and chill. Walk around the hotel. Enjoy beautiful girls, good smoke, good people.

Along with DJ Paul and Juicy J, you were in a collective known as Da HeadBussaz, which released the independent album Dats How It Happen To’M. How was that experience?

It was dope. It was cool. We hooked up and showed the world that fellas could hook up and make music with no conflict — make great music without no problems or no negativity.

Are you a fan of any Memphis artists, past and present?

Of course. I like everything past and present and even the kids who are coming up and doing their thing. I got my ears to the streets. I like everybody from 8ball & MJG to Three 6 Mafia to Playa Fly. You’ve got a few dudes doing their thing. I want everybody to do good.

What’s one of the most important things that you’ve done to stay relevant?

The thing is, you gotta stay at it. That’s the most important thing that I can say.

You released your first album on independent label Big Boy records in 1995. Were you around during the label’s rivalry with Cash Money Records?

Yeah, I was but it never affected me. It was all in the love of hip-hop. Cats sometimes don’t see eye—to-eye, so they take it to music and stuff like that. It’s all good. I was there. I was very instrumental in a lot of big things over there. That was a nice run. Me, Mystikal, Partners-N-Crime, Ghetto Twinz, G-Slim, Sporty T, we had a lot of people over there.

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Transitioning from there, how’d you link up with Master P?

I was making music, making noise. We had people who knew each other, and they were saying, you guys could be working together. I ended up getting with them boys and we ended up working out something. I ended up having one of the biggest songs on the [“I’m Bout It”] soundtrack. “I’m Bout It” ended up being one of the biggest [independent] movies. After that, I got a chance to be involved with all kind of shit. Over 80 million records sold, I can say that I very much played a serious part of that.

Did you have a personal relationship with C-Murder, Mac or the late Soulja Slim?

All those are my homies. Me, C-murder and Mac, we hung out real, real tight. They’re both incarcerated right now. Soulja Slim is deceased. I’m just pushing. I want to be able to do more with my life so I can help out my homies one day.

[Fiend ended up leaving No Limit and starting his own independent label, Fiend Entertainment. From there, he would link up with one of the most successful rap labels ever, Ruff Ryders Records, home to DMX, the Lox, and Eve.]

How did you end up getting with Ruff Ryders?

DMX was getting ready to depart the label, so they were like ‘We want somebody who will be just as dope or that could shake up the world with that same attitude or that same aggression.’ They heard some of my music. We sat down and met, and we really dug each other’s movements. I was already kind of doing my thing, and them cats were already doing their thing. It was an honor to bring that legacy further than where it had already gotten to. And then being a southern boy who got with them, it was even more dope.

I understand that you’re known as International Jones, because you enjoy traveling. Where are some of your favorite places to visit?

Some of my favorite places have to be London; Mulan, Italy; Paris of course; Lahonce, France; Seattle is dope, I mean Seattle is awesome. I like LA. Atlanta. And I just found a little place called Sarasota, Florida. That shit is awesome. Another place is Canada! Montreal, Victoria, and Vancouver Canada. It’s a lot of dope places. I’m a water man too. I don’t mind traveling by water. I rent a yacht maybe once a month just for me. I really like being on the water. It’s just relaxing. It’s tranquil.

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There’s an artist on your album, Can I Burn 2, named J-Boy. I really liked his flow. On the album, you mentioned that he would be releasing his own album soon, but I never heard anymore from him. What happened to him?

He was murdered. He ended up getting away from me and doing his own thing. He got into some other things, and people got envious of him. They saw a well-off, young dude doing his thing. I don’t really know what else he was into, but from what I heard he got set up and they killed him trying to rob him. (Takes a moment of silence and utters ‘Rest in Paradise J-Boy’)

Your music has changed. It was more rowdy earlier on but now it’s more smooth and relaxing. What brought the change?

It’s whatever the beats call for. I’m just an instrument. I vibe off the track. It’s wherever the track pulls me. I fit the music. I still make it all. That International Jones shit is just me man …traveling, women, fast cars, just chlling, just having fun.

You were invited to Dr. Dre’s house to work on his Detox album? How did that pan out?

We got word that he was interested and he reached out, but [there was a conflict of schedules and] it just didn’t work out. I haven’t worked with him before, but I’ve been making joints, so hopefully one day he’ll call me and tell me, ‘C’mon man.’

You’re also a producer and have produced for Jadakiss, Lil’ Wayne, and others. Do you like producing more than rapping?

I love producing. I love rapping. I just love making music. I do love producing, but I’ve kinda took a break to focus on one more than the other.

How has it been working with Curren$y and being signed to Jet Life Recordings?

That’s the homie. It’s all good. I fucks with him. We out here living this Jet Life. Iron Gang shit. We chilling, making good music, traveling, making alternative tunes for people to chill to, because it’s so much around them that’s going on.

What’s up next for Fiend?

I got a few things coming. A book, some movies, I’m not just putting all my ducks in a row. But more entertainment, real life, partying, and just showing cats this cool shit. I want to help cats get some money. Just hold tight, it’s gonna be real nice. Well worth the wait.

Categories
Calling the Bluff Music

Q & A With Lil Lody

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Hailing from the New Chicago neighborhood in North Memphis, 23-year-old rapper and producer Lil Lody has come a long way. In 2011, platinum-selling rap artist Young Jeezy snagged him to produce several songs on his album, Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition. In addition to Young Jeezy, he’s also produced for Plies, Fabolous, Yo Gotti, Waka Flocka Flame, Rick Ross, and P. Diddy among others. As an artist, he’s released a hefty installment of mixtapes.

Lil Lody took time out to visit the Memphis Flyer headquarters to talk about his latest mixtape, Foolish, along with what artists he enjoys working with the most, the passing of his 10-year-old sister, being sued by Memphis rap heavyweights Project Pat and Juicy J., and much more. You can follow Lil Lody on Twitter: @LodyLucci.

Flyer: On your latest mixtape, Foolish, you touch on some personal topics primarily in the song “Foolish.” One of them is losing your 10-year-old sister a few years ago. Can you elaborate on this?

Lil Lody: It happened on December 28th, three days after Christmas. She was in a car wreck. She was on her way home from the skating rink in the car with some more people. As they were getting ready to turn, a police officer was coming fast down Jackson. He tried to hurry up and turn the lights on, but it was too late. They were in the turning lane. They had their turning signal on, and the police car just hit them. Boom! The car flipped multiple times. She flew out of the car. We couldn’t even find her.
By the time we did find her, she was still alive, but they said her brain was dead. She was pretty much gone when we got there. They tried to put her on machines and stuff, but she wasn’t responsive. It fucked me up mentally and physically. I’m past all of that. I feel like death is something that’s going to come. Nobody can run from it, and you can’t change it when a person dies.

In “Foolish,” you also mention being signed to D. Brady Entertainment, a record label founded by Project Pat and Juicy J, and subsequently being sued by them. How did that happen?

When I deal with people, I don’t deal with people on a business level. I deal with people on a more personal level first, then we can get into business. When I did the agreement with them [signing to D. Brady Entertainment], they promised me a lot of stuff. They told me, ‘You should sign with us. We’re going to do this for you. We’re going to get that.’
But when they brought me into the picture, it basically wasn’t that. They were just trying to use me to get beats. I kept telling them, ‘I’m a rapper. I was a rapper first.’ They were hearing me ,but they weren’t hearing me. They signed me as an artist. That’s what the contractual agreement was about. The beats didn’t have anything to do with it. They wanted me to be a rapper, come out with an album and all that. If you look in one of the albums’ artwork they put out during that time, you’ll see my name, ‘Coming soon, Lil Lody.’
I was seeing that they weren’t fucking with me, but I was still making moves. One day, I just called them and told them I wanted to get out of the contract. I told them, ‘I don’t feel like anything moved for me. Y’all are not keeping your promises. Y’all have breached the contract because y’all haven’t done anything that y’all said y’all were going to do. Y’all haven’t given me an advance. Y’all haven’t given me any money. Y’all haven’t done anything but bought a few beats from me.’ I was giving them, like, 10 to 15 beats for $1,500 to $2,000. I know that they’ll never tell you anything like that but I will. I can’t sugarcoat anything.

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I ended up meeting [Young] Jeezy. We vibed off the rip. As soon as the “Ballin” song dropped, Def Jam gets a letter from D. Brady. I asked them why they’re suing me and they said basically because I was signed to them as an artist and they feel like they helped me blow up. I was only messing with Jeezy on a producer level. They had me signed as an artist.
I was trying to understand how they could do that. But really they had me locked all the way around where I couldn’t do anything like that without their permission. I fought the case. They were asking for $250,000 at first. My lawyers broke them down, and they couldn’t show any proof of where they gave me $250,000. They couldn’t show any proof that they gave me any advance or anything, so they had to end up settling for $50,000. I gave it to them to keep it moving with my career.


[Lil Lody signed a contract with D. Brady Entertainment. He was sued due to producing for outside artists without the company’s permission. A settlement for $50,000 resolved the matter. He also left the label.]

Since leaving the label, have you signed to anyone else or started your own label?

I’m unsigned right now, but I have a lot of deals on the table. Right now, I’m trying to be my own solo, standout artist. I don’t really want to sign to anybody that already has some other people. People would be saying, you got co-signed by such and such and that’s really the reason you’re on. Right now, I think I’m on the right track. My priorities are all straight. And right now, my name as an artist is getting where it’s supposed to get. That Foolish mixtape touched a lot of people, and I didn’t know it was going to do that.

Considering that you began as a rapper, what drove you to producing?

I started rapping and I was looking for producers to make me beats. Nobody could make the type of beats that I wanted. Everybody who I tried to spend money with tried to charge me a high price. The price wasn’t anything but their sound was whack. I was like ‘Fuck it. If I can do this, I can do that too, so I started making beats.’ It took me about two years to get it down. I’m not gonna say I was the best then. I was alright, but the more that you fuck with it, you’re gonna get better. It’s day by day.

What are some musical devices or instruments you enjoy using when you produce? And is there a certain approach that you take?

I started off with Fruity Loops. The next step was MPC 4,000, the MPC 3,000, the Phantom, Triton, Reason, Logic. I started messing with everything just trying to combine them all together and see what I could come up with. I like Fruity Loops the most [because] I like to move quick. Not saying that the other types of equipment are a waste of time, but they’re going to make you take longer. With Fruity Loops, I have all my stuff down-packed. I have all of my sounds. When I put in my beats, people know it’s me.

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How long does it normally take you to produce a song?

It takes me 10 minutes to make a beat. I have to be zoned out or be in a certain type of mood some time. I might go a whole two weeks without making beats because I’m handling stuff that’s going on in real life. I got a really busy life. When I do get time out, whatever I’ve been doing is going to come out on that keyboard. Once I finish making beats, I play them to my homies. I ask them what they think. The beat has to go through five or six different people before I release it.

Who are your three favorite artists to work with when you’re producing?

Out of all the artists that I’ve worked with, my three favorites are [Young] Jeezy, [Yo] Gotti, and Plies. When I get in the studio around them, I can relate to them more than anybody else. We’re all hands on, and we all kind of act the same.

Who are some artists that you would like to work with in the future?

I would like to work with Dr. Dre., Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube. I like messing with the legends. I like to get in with them and see where their minds are at, because they can show me more with what I got going on with myself.

Nationally, you’re known more as a producer than an artist. Do you think it’s important to show people that you’re not just a talented producer but an artist as well?

It doesn’t really matter. They’re going to catch on sooner than later. A lot of people tell me, ‘You one of the hardest rappers-slash-producers that’s out.’ Not trying to compare me to Kanye or any of them, but a lot of people can’t do that. You have to have a real skill and talent to do that. Like Kanye, he’s dope at it. Dr. Dre was dope at it when he did The Chronic and all that.

In a lot of your music, you make reference to the street life. How was it for you to indulge in that type of lifestyle?

It was kind of cool. You get your money. The thing that I can say is when you’re playing in that field, it makes you really paranoid. You’re cautious of everything and everybody. It’s with certain stuff that you do, such as you watch how people talk on the phone. I still don’t answer my phone for anybody to this day. I don’t text that much. None of that. If I want to see somebody, I still speak to them face-to-face because of my past. A lot of stuff can mess you up, so you have to watch everything really close. The money comes really fast and it’s cool, but you have to pay attention because the wrong move can mess you off.

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How was your upbringing?

My mom and dad always spoiled me. Whatever I wanted, they always spoiled me. My daddy, he lived the fly life — had cars everywhere, houses, and all that. But he ended up getting busted and going to jail. A lot of that came on to me. Whatever was left over came on to me, and it was up to me to continue what was going on. I knew that at some point in my life, I was going to have to stop what I was doing before it got too late. I had to transfer and do something the right way to keep the money coming in.

How is your view on religion? Were you raised in a religious household?

I believe in God. You gotta pray for every dollar that you make. Keep your head up and believe in God. My family wasn’t just real Christian, go to church every Sunday, and all of that. I can’t act like I go to church every Sunday. I can’t remember the last time I went to church, but I heard if you pray, it’ll work. I pray a lot.

What’s up next?

I got another mixtape coming out in September. I feel like I got the game right now nationally. Foolish touched the people so much, and it’s like they’re addicted right now. I’m also working on Plies’ “Purple Heart” album. That’s fixing to come out. It’s going to be crazy. I did a few of the songs. I’m working with Young Scooter. I did the Colombia track for him. I didn’t put my signature. That’s how I’m starting to mess everybody up.

Categories
Opinion

Steve Jobs and Sun Records Studio

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The new biography “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson includes more details of his stay in Memphis including a visit to Sun Studio that resulted in an employee being hired by Apple.

The book came out Monday and was the subject of a piece on CBS “60 Minutes” Sunday. Isaacson had 40 interviews with Jobs after the Apple cofounder was diagnosed with cancer. In both the book and “60 Minutes” segment, Issacson discusses the life-saving liver transplant that Jobs received in Memphis in 2009. Some of the story, including details of the house where Jobs lived in Midtown, was previously reported in The Memphis Flyer and in an interview with Dr. James Eason, who did the liver transplant, conducted by reporter Marilyn Sadler for Memphis magazine this summer.

New details in the book:

As Eason and officials at Methodist Hospital have maintained all along, Isaacson says that Jobs did not “jump the line” to get a transplant. He did, however, register in both California and Tennessee to improve his chances. The donor was a car-accident victim in his mid-20s. As the Flyer reported, Apple attorney George Riley, a former Memphian, made the connection and helped Jobs settle into the house he bought on Morningside Place.

Jobs was cared for at Methodist by two nurses from Mississippi. They were not awed by him and Jobs liked that.

Jobs and his wife and others made a secret visit to Sun Studio, where Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash and others recorded. Jobs was so emaciated that the staff did not recognize him, but the tour guide did such a good job that Jobs offered him to hire him.

Jobs’ wife took responsibility for getting him a liver transplant and monitored his position in the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease system (MELD). While the book insists that Jobs did not buy his way to the top of the list, the “60 Minutes” segment has Isaacson recounting how Jobs drove a Mercedes sports car with no license plate and “felt like the normal rules just didn’t apply to him.”

On the liver transplant, at least, this authorized biography may not be the last word.