RESPECT. sat down with T2 to talk about his newest project, future collaborations, and his signature sound.

RESPECT.: You collaborated with other Houston artists on the project, like Maxo Kream. Is it important for you to work with other local artists, if so, why? What’s your dream collaboration?
Yeah for sure, I think it’s extremely important to work with other artists from your area. It helps get the name and brand circulating in conversations and local demographics you may not other wise reach as quickly. It’s just got to be some organic good vibe type shit. With pretty much everybody I have featured on one of my songs, it was a “we got cool and made some music” situation. I’m a fan of all the artists I work with. As far as dream collab, it depends…locally I would love to have Devin the Dude and Chamillionaire on the same track with me. Would be wild. In general, I would love to work with Kanye [West] or [J.] Cole. Or Snoop [laughs].

RESPECT.: The South has really emerged as a destination for hip-hop in a way it hadn’t before in the last few years, especially with the increasing popularity of trap rap. Now, cities like Atlanta and Houston are producing some of the best producers and artists, getting on par with cities like Oakland and Brooklyn. Why do you think this is happening now? How does your music play into this?
I feel like trap music and Atlanta artists in general really helped the south continue to shine over the years after the crazy Houston run between around like 03 – 07. Then finally, when people got more creative and experimental down here in the H, we all kicked the door in again for southern artists. Maxo and Fat Tony are from Houston… they don’t sound like stereotypical Houston artists. At all. Ugly God is from Houston… he doesn’t fit the mold. Even like Russ, he’s from the A and doesn’t sound like an Atlanta rapper. People branching out creatively is helping bring a whole new audience to the south. The producers played a major role in this as well… lol I think that producers were sick of making the same type of beats all the time, so when they evolved the artists did too. It started with producers like Trakksounds, Rockaway, Sound MOB and DJ Chose in Houston. People like Drake and ASAP Rocky helped too when they were spotlighting Houston culture in their art during the years H-town didn’t have a major player in the mainstream besides like Bun [B] and Slim [Thug]. But me? I just stay in my lane while trying to capitalize on the eyes and attention that the south has on it. In most cases, I’m super different to everything else Houston has to offer, so it’s easy to stand out to all the people who are paying attention. Or at least I hope it is [laughs]. I just recently got to the point in my career where I have enough momentum to actually make an impact on what’s going on down here, so yeah, I’m fuckin’ excited to see what’s next.

RESPECT.: Let’s take it back for a second. Talk to me about your name – how’d you come up with “Ghetto Hippie” – and what is the significance of ‘T2’?
I got into some crazy shit when I was 18 and had to leave the country. I went to England for a quick minute man. While I was in England I was at a bonfire party and tripping on mushrooms when somebody called me a “Ghetto Hippie.” I don’t know if it was the state of mind I was in or what, but it resonated so loudly with me and just made so much sense that it’s been a part of my name ever since. Even before the rap shit was serious. It just fits me and what I represent. I’m all about love and I spread it… but I’m from the south west side of Houston, TX. And the south west taught me the rules of being a man and the rules of being a G. And it may sound corny but I live by that shit. Ghetto Hippie… contrasting reality type vibe. And then T2 is a nickname I’ve had since I was a lil kid. There are two T’s in my real name. My initials are “T.W.” It’s always been T2. My whole family calls me T or T2. Even my moms.

RESPECT.: Your sound is in a totally different ballgame in regards to rap music out right now. Talk to me about your style a little bit, because since it’s so unique in comparison to mainstream rap. What are your thoughts on other experimental rappers right now, who are working in between various genres, (like XXXTentacion for example)?
[Laughs] facts. I def sound different to what’s mainstream and popular right now man. My style is strictly based on the music I like to listen to. I don’t listen to a lot of mainstream rap aside from like the legends like Kanye, [Jay-Z], [Kendrick Lamar], Cole. I’ll briefly check out new stuff as it drops just to stay aware, but I probably jam other genres more then I jam rap. I grew up jamming other genres as much as I did rap. My influences are just different. I believe as an artist you should make the music that you would want to jam to, and everything else will fall into place. Fuck trying to make what’s popular. I’m trying to make shit I can listen to over and over dude. And hell yeah, I’m super into a lot of the experimental stuff going on in hip-hop right now. Some of it is trash haha but the good stuff is really good. It’s refreshing. And like I said previously, especially down south, I feel like this new wave of creativity is opening a lot of doors and garnering the attention of people who may have never looked this way before.

I think X is ill as fuck forreal and super super lyrical. His new album is amazing, he’s low key an inspiration. That’s a project I was going to check briefly and have continued jamming since. Dope shit. His freshmen freestyle was wild tho [laughs].

https://soundcloud.com/t2ghettohippie/sets/double-cups-taco-trucks-ep

RESPECT.: Your project Double Cups & Taco Trucks has been out for a month or so. How have you felt about the reaction thus far? Did anything surprise you?
Loving the reaction yo! Good vibes all around. And ready for more. [Laughs] yeah, I’m surprised how well the Maxo song was received to be honest. I am usually pretty adamant in being very real and very factual in my music and not bragging and boasting about bull shit that’s not real or is exaggerated. But in that session and with that beat, we were just bull shitting and having a lot of fun. I mean, it’s a song with Maxo [laughs]. And I was just talking shit in the booth. Damn near free styling dude. I wasn’t sure how my core fans would feel about it, but the record came out awesome and everyone vibes with it. I was just stoked with how many people singled that song out as one of the ones they jammed a lot from the project [laughs]. It’s way different then everything else on the EP, but somehow fits perfectly. Shit has been good though. everything is positive. And so many new followers and fans have started paying attention since the release. I just want more. Gotta get it in front of the rest of the world now.

RESPECT.: Talk to me a little bit about the influence of almost gospel or church-like piano sounds on the project. Why did you want to include that? What’s the inspiration for it?
Dude so I’m big into what I call “getting lost in Spotify” which is basically just playing a bunch of extremely random shit from other genres or unknown artists and saving the stuff I like to jam again later. One day I randomly stumbled on some choirs singing like chill gospel songs and I got super inspired. I didn’t have my speakers up too loud when the choir started singing and it was almost like perfect background music at that level. And I’ve always been big into rap songs with a background singer or something going on behind the rap vocals… to add layers and depth and warmth to the music. So I was like, “damn. Ok, what would it sound like if I had a choir going throughout the whole project?“ I reached out to one of my producers, Chris Rockaway, because I knew he knew some church singers. So we linked up with them and I told them the idea. We tried it out with a few songs and we all liked it so much we just continued and pieced the project together as a team. The singers on “Double Cups” most def have a hand in why the project sounds the way it does.

RESPECT: Your experience of Houston obviously involves double cups and taco trucks [laughs], but what else is your experience of that city like? How does that play into your sound? 
[Laughs] Yeah, Houston is crazy man. I was born in Ecuador, moved here when I was 1 and lived here ever since. And one thing is for sure… Houston is as amazing at is crazy. But it’s home and I love it. It 100% completely plays into my sound. The culture, the people, the music down here… everywhere you go in Houston, everything is so different just a few blocks away. We are a melting pot of so many different races, cultures, and diverse backgrounds that it was easy when I was young to listen to more genres of music than just rap. But we also had such a dominant rap scene I could get my fill at all times. People like Pimp C, Chamillionaire, and Devin The Dude showed me how to be melodic in my style. The list of creative influences I’ve gotten from this city alone is endless.

RESPECT: What’s up next? The project just dropped, so what are you thinking about doing – some touring, new music, etc.?
All of the above. Definitely continue to get Double Cups & Taco Trucks in front of new listeners first and foremost. Also on the verge of figuring some stuff out now, tour wise. Dabbling in some creative stuff outside of music with my business partner/animator The King Dub. I’m going to continue dropping visuals from the project and release some of the material I have with other artists that I’ve been saving for the right time. But my main goal right now is use this project to help expand expand expand. I’m not at a level to where everybody knows who I am, and I want to change that ASAP.

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#DYKRapPeople (DYKRP) Hip-Hop Jeopardy was a popping event in Brooklyn on January 19th presented by Jaz and Brianni T. Taking place at Genius headquarters, the show was MC’d by Colton, who brought everyones’ energy as up as 11 teams prepared to test their knowledge of OG hip-hop. Teams with names like “A Tribe Called Flex” and “Put Some Respek On It” worked, all with their hands full of red cups filled with libations like Coconut Sake and Agave Gold Tequila, supplied by TY KU and Jose Cuervo. Not only did they fight to prove they were the wokest in terms of hip-hop knowledge, they also battled for sick prizes – including a GROSS magazine, Def Jam swag and dank apparel. The competition was obviously fire, and people brought their A-Game to try and snag up one of the unreal gift bags.

As people filled up the space and got rowdier as the points stacked up, there was an obvious energy in the room putting everyone in the spirit of competition for the game. DJ RUNBOX played the hip hop classics – and even remixed the jeopardy theme song so everyone could get down to it. The hype around who was gonna take it was literally palpable and in turn the event stayed lively up until the winners were announced. As it slowed down people enjoyed bowls of ice cream from Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, grabbing their last drinks. Some took home their winnings (and a bigger ego) knowing they were hip-hop champions while others went home hoping to prove themselves next time.

Shout out to all the dope sponsors that made #DYKRapPeople possible:

• TY KU
• Jose Cuervo Especial
• Ethik
• Gross Mag
• Turntable Lab
• Gifted Apparel
• Legacy & Luxe
• Republic Records
• Def Jam
• Mini.hiphop
• Monday Suck
• University of Dope
• Move Forward Music
• Mikey Likes It

If you want to test what you know, check out the next one; #DYKRapPeople will be heading to Boston in the spring and back in NYC this fall. If you are interested in getting involved, email Jasmina Cuevas to get in on it.

The post DYKRapPeople’s Hip-Hop Jeopardy Brought Out Hot Competition in BK appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Mia, also known as Pom Pom Squad, is an artist and songwriter who is originally from Florida, but now lives in NYC. Her new project, “Hate it Here” is an EP that gives on honest take on navigating relationships, the concept of home, and youth.

The move from her home to NYC definitely influenced her tape, and Mia went back to Florida for the summer of 2016. During that time she was able to decompress and deal with the move, “I wrote the whole thing in the summer after my first year living in NYC and I was just completely left in the dust by how much living in the city takes out of you.  You can’t really think — you kind of just go…When I went back home, I laid in my old bedroom for weeks just sort of processing what had happened. I finally had some time to from some semi-intelligent thoughts and that’s how I wrote ‘Hate it Here’ .”

In the visual, which just dropped, Pom Pom Squad teases the album creating three different colored scenes – all with different themes. One feels angelic and innocent, another is red and white and teases Valentine’s day and love. In Mia’s eyes, the visuals, collaborating with artists of other mediums, and how it’s going to look and sound when she performs it live is all salient to the success of her new project.

Mia’s authenticity is obvious in the music, which makes it a scary project to release in many ways, “It’s hard releasing something and just sort of letting the human tides sweep it up and do what they will with it,”. In being honest and upfront about both the highs and lows of her last year, and interpersonally reflecting, this project feels ballsy to release; on another side of the same coin, how real she is on this tape is what makes it so powerful and beautiful.

She also speaks to her inspiration, “Basically the EP is about liminal space, discontentment, and the idea that no matter where we are in life, we always find a way to ruin it for ourselves.” In sticking with the theme of artists being honest this year – looking at individuals like Kid Cudi and Frank Ocean – one can see how vulnerability is so moving and salient to positive change. Pom Pom Squad’s tape is taking a risk – and we can’t wait to hear it.

Photo Credits to Kamau Wainaina and Visual Credits to Georgia Krause

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Netflix recently added a new movie to their site, entitled White Girl. In first watching it, it’s striking in how it feels so much like a modern day Romeo & Juliette. Star crossed lovers of Leah (played by Morgan Slayer) and Blue (played by Brian Marc) are from really different worlds; Blue is a drug dealer, while Leah is a liberal arts student at a prestigious college who moved into an apartment in Queens.  Leah is a hipster girl, who is portrayed as sheltered and naive in so many ways – mimicking the lack of reality that so many college students exist in, largely because of their privilege. As the movie goes on, she becomes addicted to cocaine, and later becomes obsessed with freeing Blue from jail.

But it’s take on race, incarceration, access, and the nuance that comes with all of this, is unparalleled. The reality is almost uncomfortable. In thinking about race’s intersection with privilege, it explores how Whites have access to drugs without an understanding of the complicated journey it takes – and the lives it affects – to get in a ziplock bag in their hand at a party. Moreover, it confronts the way that the justice system in the U.S. fails so many, like Blue, and inevitably pushes so many into incarceration for decades. In looking for a candid take on the disconnect of the privileged and not in large cities like NYC, White Girl is a perfect portrayal.

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The post ‘White Girl’ Film Discusses Addiction, Privilege and Incarceration appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After teasing Twitter with the letters “SSS,” Kehlani finally announced that her new album will be called SWEETSEXYSAVAGE. Just days later she went online and posted new track “Advice.” She gave out few teasers of the track beforehand. It is the third released track off her new album ; the other two songs, “CRZY” and “Distraction,” came out earlier in 2016 and were followed with visual music videos.

The new song is on the softer side, and is in line with the sounds of Kehlani’s mixtape from 2015, You Should Be Here. Since it’s release just one day ago, it has been played 63,000 times on SoundCloud. Given what Kehlani has put out on social media regarding the tape, she has hinted at a more reflective group of recordings. The various pieces should demonstrate the learning she’s done in relation to self-love, personal growth, relationships, and her identity. That becomes obvious with “Advice” as Kehlani talks about trusting herself first, and going with her instincts – basically boiling down to taking her own advice. Listeners everywhere have their ears ready for the new tape, to take whatever lessons Kehlani is ready to give.

SWEETSEXYSAVAGE is available for pre-sale now.

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The post Kehlani Drops First Song “Advice” off New Project [LISTEN] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Connie Constance is a London-born and based model, singer, and artist. As an opening artist for Bibi Bourelly (song-writer turned new artist) at a show last year in the U.K. along with other underground singers like Tilla, she is starting to garner attention as a musician. Her understanding of script is that of a spoken word poet, so her first song, one of the three she has posted on SoundCloud, seems like poetry. Sometimes really good music will feel good on your skin, and “Stars” by Constance is just like that. Constance explores various mediums in her art, as in her music video for “Stars” she is seen performing modern dance. The song is full of soul, and allows her voice to be highlighted. 

Similarly, “Lose My Mind”  by Constance evokes a similar feeling. In moments she layers her voice, adding loops of tracks of the same lyrics following one after another, creating a gospel sensation. It has a simple melody, and her lyrics are mainly just accompanied by a piano.

The ease and clarity of her songs feels unpretentious and down-to-earth and is a nice change from the over-produced, over-edited music that dominates the industry today. While DJs and producers control the current musical sphere, Constance gives listeners a break, with a light but uncompromising sound.

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Kehlani Parrish, Bay Area R&B star is bringing back the classic music video. The days of choreographed music numbers, mood lighting, and crisp style often feel long gone, but Kehlani reminds us not they still hold some place.

In September Kehlani dropped her visual for “CRZY“, featuring a chorus with a choreographed dance sequence. It brought us back to the glory days of Ciara, featuring cropped sweatshirts, and scenes with a low-rider in the background. A group of girls crowd around Kehlani and dance in perfect sync as she sings, “I go, I go, crazy,” which is interlaced with shots of her squad and her chilling at the house; speaking to her authenticity, the squad she presents actually include her homies in real life, not actors. Kehlani even has a scene in which she types the lyrics to her song onto a laptop screen, which is also an exact moment in Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” video.  

Similarly, her visual for “Distraction” which dropped on the 22nd and already garnered 4 million views, brings us back to the era of video girls and guys, who play the romantic interest. With birds-eye view shots of Kehlani’s face, falling rose petals and a red, lace lingerie covered body, the viewer is immediately brought back to a corny moment in any popular R & B video. Again including the background dancer, and four different sets (think Destiny’s Child “Say My Name”), the feel of the video seems like it belongs on monitor ten years ago. 

In a broader sense, Kehlani is bringing back the concept of the music video in general. While lots of videos have still been released in the last 10 years, they don’t receive the same hype or excitement that surrounded them in the 90’s and the early 2000’s. Those were the times when VH1 and MTV would play hours of visuals for popular songs, and teenagers would crowd around TVs everywhere when new content premiered, trying to learn infamous dance routines. This was also before the age of Youtube choreographers, who revolutionized dance, specifically hip-hop, by premiering their routines to popular songs online first. We no longer just had to look celebrities and our favorite singers for impeccable, fresh moves. Instead, we could find some of the best choreography on our laptops and iPhones, created by underground crews and in dance studios across American cities.

Moreover, back-up dancers that made their name in the backdrop of videos were now able to come to the foreground, and star in their own content online – making a name for themselves without a celebrity backing. They no longer had to pawn after 10 seconds to spotlight their moves in a video, as now they can create fame themselves. In many ways there has been a shift; it’s almost been flipped, as now celebrities find dancers who have garnered a following online instead of celebrities making the career of a dancer. Proof of this is Maddie Ziegler, who became famous on Lifetime’s Dance Moms and through her online following, and was later commissioned by Sia to star in multiple music videos. Mos Wanted Crew’s “Freak My S**t” changed dance for me forever; it wasn’t about a music video that made me glean in excitement over cutting-edge moves. It stars Ian Eastwood, who has become a household name in the dance world in the last decade. Most of this can be attributed to his popularity on social media; without Youtube, his career would not have taken off in the same way. 

In the same way that dance became popularized through social media instead of just through celebrities’ videos, style experienced a similar shift. While music videos used to premiere the newest styles in streetwear and fashion, that teens would copy and make trends of, there has been a change. In the age of Instagram, Kylie Jenner, Helen Owen and YesJulz (all of whom have used social media to make a career) influence style just as much as, if not more than, singers and rappers. 

Distraction and CRZY are two of my favorite music videos, and are great accompaniments to Kehlani’s playful songs. Her visuals feel like a rendezvous back to a different time, and while they are very entertaining, they also prove that the music video plays a less integral role in influencing culture. Social media has taken over, and in the world of Instagram filters and 140 characters, you can carve out a space, and impact style, dance, or art with the click of a button (or the tap of a screen). 

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