Butch Dawson, is making his name known throughout the world as a dedicated artist full of energy and creativity while capturing the aura of West Baltimore through his jazz and drum infused self produced projects and numerous efforts empowering upcoming artist throughout downtown Baltimore city.

As of lately Butch Dawson is gearing up to join another breakout artist from Baltimore JPEG Mafia across 17 cities while his latest self produced mixtape Ollieworld continues to grow and make waves as the follow up to his 2018 project Swamp Boy and since his humble start in 2009 Butch hasn’t looked back at all as he shows and proves with without a doubt that he should be on your radar as an artist dedicated to producing captivating & quality work that reaches out and grabs listeners so with that said here and now I suggest you get to know Butch Dawson.

Robbie: Hello, Butch it’s great to hear from you? How’s the week been treating you so far?

Robbie: 10 years later and you’re still committed to the craft of hip-hip so from the very beginning what inspired you to want to do music seriously and what continues to inspire you as an all artist after 10 years? 

Butch: Well I been around music since I was a kid. My dad was a huge local artist when I was young so the idea of being an artist/rapper was easy to grasp. What really inspired me was rhyming words together and that shit started in 3rd grade so that was like my very first inspiration right there. What keeps inspiring me to make music is living, being a human you literally have to deal with all types of emotions and we all have different stories to tell so why not make my story a whole experience?? I live for ideas and expressing them however we can.

Butch: my nephew Ollie (Oliver). He gives me so much motivation to be great in this rap shit. Also for this mixtape project, I wanted to embrace my punk side, bring more experimental energy driven elements opposed from Swamp Boy where its jazzy but still raw. A lot of people don’t know that when I lived at this warehouse space called Bell Foundry, we had diy shows in the basement and id perform on shows with hardcore punk bands and we have the summer lit. I wanted to bring that back for this summer and give my people a good time.

Butch: Yeah JPEG the homie. We used to be roomies back in Baltimore so it’ll be cool to step back in that energy for a good amount of days to catch up and perform together like the old days. You’ll be seeing a bunch of energy ahahaha from the BOTH of us. To the fans of JPEGMAFIA who don’t know my music, I’m going to turn y’all to believers no doubt about it. Im really looking forward to performing in Toronto because its going to be on Halloween and its going to be my first time in the 6 lmao.

Butch: Man it feels good I just be having to lay low sometimes because I be socially drained out. When you doing good you get a lot of love. Some people happy for you, some say it but still be hatin, some people expect shit from you, some just want a follow on ig and the list goes on. But I’m very grateful that God has put me in this position. I’ll forever be respectful to those who respect me, I’m down with dropping knowledge and wisdom I just be having to chilllll

The post Respect Interview: Butch Dawson Talks New Project Ollieworld, Basement Rap, Upcoming JPEG Mafia Tour & The Baltimore City Love . appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Butch Dawson is a talented artist putting the light on the Baltimore with an array of music touching on many relatable topics as he displays his diverse style and since 2013 Butch consistency is definitely getting his name and his work known throughout Baltimore and across the internet.

As of today, I wanted to highlight his latest video release ”Liberation”  as it features the artist in almost a jail like room setting while bringing us closer into his life with production from Elena DeBold this song comes together perfectly.  This year seems to open a new door for the Baltimore emcee whose is rising and we look to see what the young artist will cook up next so in the meantime check out Liberation

Listen to more from Butch Here

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The post Here & Now: Baltimore’s Butch Dawson Drops New Video “Liberation” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Young, up and coming Jacksonville rapper, YT, has released his newest track, “A Letter,” and it definitely deserves a listen. The single features Butch Dawson and was produced by Kiko Merley. The track is a follow up to the summer hit single, “Palm Trees” and it is a letter to YT’s pops. The production is smooth and the lyrics are strong.

“A Letter” will be featured on YT’s upcoming EP, Lectures From Pops, due out August 26th. Take a listen to the “A Letter” below and tell us what you think!

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The post New Music: Butch Dawson – “Yung” (Prod. By JuJuan Allen) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

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DJ NICK via his Instagram (@djnickmarinogang)

Due to social media, a whole new generation of music has sprung a leak without the cultivation of a good compilation tape. And rightfully so, many artists have gone straight to the fans with complete album-like packaging.With that new template in mind, A$AP Ant joined forces with his brother DJ Nick for Marino Gang Records, an independently run crew, and together they’re cosigning a movement of new music. Baltimore-bred DJ Nick had a serious hand in selecting some of his favorite current artists for his new mixtape, The Big Payback, reminding us just how important a guiding hand can be.

Equipped with refreshingly classic announcement horns, selector-rewinds, and featured spitters from almost every coast, the new mixtape makes for a good ride round town. Without a preliminary physical copy, The Big Payback manages to hearken the days when we picked up DJ Clue mixtapes at the local bodega or Mom & Pop record shop before the album dropped. The tape primarily deals in street tales, competitive fashion and rhyming, while also taking time to introduce some of the personalities that will be leading the genre in a few years.

Internet rap fanatics  may be slightly familiar with its guests like 100s, A$ton Matthews, Dash & Retch P, Smoke DZA, A$AP 12VY, who are all present but we’re also introduced to new names like Butch Dawson, Maxo Kream, A$AP Lotto, C Plus, YG Khaled, Shine and Jordxn Bryant. Marino Gang members YG Diego, Young Shaka, Tootie Ro,  and Chynna, make their presence felt on what seems to be a clear  and distinctive offset of A$AP’s original fold. Names like Travi$ Scott, A$ap Yams, Josh Peas, A$AP Bari, A$AP Lou also show their flare over the tape’s shoutouts.

Recently, we got up with Marino Gang’s A&R/Advisor DJ Nick to help us spill the beans about the origins of Marino Gang wave, his love for hip-hop culture, and the future of their record label.

So, when did Marino Gang begin?

Marino orignally was a brand of clothes. T-shirts, or whatever. My brother eventually started rapping with A$AP Mob. Then he started his own crew, Marino Gang. The first artist was Young Shaka. Shout out to Young Shaka. He’s locked up right now, but he was one of the first artists. It was either him or Young Diego, but they’ve both been rapping. My brother wanted his own crew and it was his idea for Marino Gang Records, but I always wanted to be the OG or a guide or something like that on the music tip. And now we’ve got two new artists, Tootie Ro, and Chynna. All of them are from Baltimore, West Baltimore, except Chynna. She’s from Philly.

A$AP ANT & DJ NICK via Intagram (@ygaddie)

“ Marino, we draped down, drug hoes, still coked up.”  – A$AP ANT “The Way It Go” A$AP MOB, Lords Never Worry,  Aug. 2012.

Can you describe all of them ( Marino Gang)?

YG Diego’s the young spitter. I put money up on him against anybody. He’s the young Jadakiss of his time, you feel me. That’s that guy. He’s got them bars. I got the money on the kid. We just met Chynna really. She’s new to Marino Gang. Young Shaka, he’s just raw. He’s a gutta nigga. He’s unorthodox, real street rapper. It’s something you can listen too. Shaka freestyles everything and I don’t even really like freestyle rappers, but he kills it. Tootie Ro is one of the newest Marino Gang artists. It’s like Trap Rap. I told the boy, I don’t really like Trap Rap but his shit is fire. All of them from Baltimore, West Baltimore. 21215,  except Chynna she’s from Philly. ( A$AP) Ant’s the leader. Myself, I am DJ Nick. I’m a DJ but i’m a DJ artist. I’m an A&R also, because I always wanted to pick out the music. I used to be a big critic, but it wasn’t to shit on people. I really lived hip-hop culture and I want to see it through.

A$AP ANT & YOUNG SHAKA ( L TO R), Photo by Ryan Lyons via Trillectro ’12

What’s the situation with Shaka? I think I met him at Trillectro in 2012. That “100+2” might have been the most entertaining song for me on the tape.

Hopefully, He’ll be home soon. I can’t speak on his situation too much but I think he’s been in there about 7 months now. I’m not trying to brag about boy in the interview, but he control the phones over there. He call niggas all the time and we try to visit him every time we can.

He’s looking good. He looking rejuvenated. He’s loving  it ( The Big Payback), but i’m sure he wants to be home. We told him, “Don’t think we forgot about you.” He’s on the first and the last song on the tape.

So how and why did you put The Big Payback together? Earlier we talked about  you pretty much A&R’ing this project.

The name The Big Payback is on some EPMD shit. It’s from a song on their second album. If you pay attention, it’s just a similar font, but the bars within The Big Payback on the logo is just a dedication to them. That’s my favorite group. If I don’t want to hear new shit, I’ll go back and listen to them. A lot of people took Eric Sermon’s style and they don’t even know it.

I listen to a lot of kids spitting bars, and they might spit some Migos shit and think it’s bars. Bars is some shit Nas might give you. Something real slick, you feel me. I just want to show the kids what they might be missing because it’s a lot of new fans to Hip-Hop.

Have you seen something missing in the rap game? What are your feelings about rap in general for the past couple of years.

I can’t really lie. I was on my little wave with the “Hip Hop Is Dead” around 2006. That’s when I really felt how Nas felt at the moment. And no disrespect to down south, I love it, but it took me sometime to adapt to that music. I don’t feel no bad way about the current state. It’s a lot of good music. I still want everybody to do their thing.

What made you do the shout outs on the tape? I thought it was pretty clever and nostalgic. And you’ve def got some trendsetter’s speaking on their.

I wanted to bring that whole tape feel all over again. That whole DJ Clue, DJ Kayslay, DJ Mike feel.

Outside of Marino Gang, you reached out to some great up and comers. How’d you go about reaching out?

I just built good relationships with people. I picked half of the people out and my brother ( A$AP Ant)  picked half of the people coming out. We both agreed on all things, but I feel like every body on there are the new people coming up.  I tried to get that West Coast feel going with  Da$h & Retch, 100s, and A$ton Matthews. It’s starts with the Josh Peas shout out and then it goes into the songs and eventually hits Plus Money, who’s from Sacramento. Now a 100s fan gets to hear an A$ton Matthews and vice versa. I’m just here to bring those connections. I just hope my DJ shit brings more, because I used to look at Don Cannon and now he’s at Def Jam.

I saw people posting it as Ant’s tape.

It kind of bothered me a little bit, but I understand it because it brings it more traffic. I’ve been working on it since like May because it’s hard to get those tracks especially with artists and their schedules. And much respect to them because I know they grinding. Slutty Boyz were supposed to be on there, but they sent me some shit from May. I had to make sure everything on here was exclusive. I wanted Oochie on there. I’ve been known about Slutty Boyz but i’m still newer to them, but I dig their shit.

What’s your favorite song so far off  The Big Payback?

My favorite joint is the Square Off joint. They’re Doug E. Fresh’s sons. They were the first rappers to ever wear Marino.

Are you guys ever going to bring the  Marino T-shirts back out?

I’m going to keep it 100. I’m not sure, because that’s Ant’s thing. I don’t know much about the business with it and everything.

Word. So, how’d you get into Hip Hop music. I know you’re Ant’s older brother, right?

I’m the older brother. I’m 24 and my brother ( A$AP Ant) is 20.  I got into music when I was two or three years old. My mother and father right now are 45 and 46, and that’s the same age as most of these rappers who started out with the genre. Kool G Rap and all those 80’s bred musicians. Some people mothers and fathers might play The Temptations but my mother and father are from the Hip-Hop generation. I got into it through my mother buying me my first rap tape. It was Kriss Kross’ Totally Crossed Out, and after that it was a rap, my nigga. Ever since then I’ve been buying tapes. I would buy the cassettes I would buy from the singles on the radio and all that.

Do you remember your first cassette?

I remember the first thing I really got into was Puff Daddy and No Way Out and that was around third grade or second grade and that just turned my whole muthafuckin’ life around. I used to want to be Puff Daddy so bad my nigga. ( laughs)

I remember that joint. That was the clear tape with the light sephia cover inside of it.

(laughs) Already. I remember I had a girlfriend at the time and she would ask what you want to be when you grow up, and I rememeber saying, “ I want to be a rapper.” I swear on everything, nobody was saying that shit. Shout to every body, but it seem like no one wanted to be a rapper before 2009 and up, you feel me.

How did you get into DJing?

Well, im not going to stunt on you bruh bruh. Ever since that day of my first tape, I’ve been on it. I was rapping in middle school and high school. It would be me and one other kid and everybody wanted to hear us. Then when everyone started rapping, I fell back like I love this, I can do something else. It’s the same love now. Tt’s a positive love. I got love for rapping too, but I’m not trying to be a rapper.

DJ Clue is my favorite DJ and even when I was a rapper, I wanted to put out hella mixtapes. I would go to Rocafella.com and see DJ Envy and other DJ’s.

Ha, I remember those days.

He ( DJ Clue) changed the game and I always loved the echoes. It originated through Brucie B. Shout out to Brucie B for that, but Clue is my favorite. The Professionals Part I was one of the first one’s I remember. I look up to him.

Did you ever DJ parties?

Nah, I did a couple parties. I’m not into being a club DJ though, and I don’t want that to be my lane, but I will get into the future. I would probably do like an hour set or a 30 minute set or something like that.

How’d you feel when A$AP Ant began to rap?

I was happy as shit, really because I never really knew anyone in the industry. He wanted to do what I always wanted to do. If you look at his past interviews, I got my brother into  rap music, you feel me. I let him listen to D-Block, Dipset, or shit like that. When I was in the 7th grade we were in the room listening to Street Wars, either the Vol. 1 or the second. One of those P-Cutta shits. We in the room listening to Beanie Sigel dissing Jadakiss and I said, “ Ant, you young right now bro, but just pay attention to the lyrics.” That’s how I got into music and that’s how he got into it in a way.

So, who was  your favorite rapper?

I’m a keep it all the way G for real. Jay-Z’s my favorite rapper, but I don’t say it all the time because he’s got so many hop on fans, but if anyone asks me, I always say Killa Cam.

Realistically, Jay-Z is one of my favorite rappers, but It’s Killa Cam. Cameron Giles, that’s my favorite rapper. He knows hows to reinvent himself.

Do you guys feel like you model Marino Gang after the Dipset Era? I know you guys are fans of the movement.

I can’t say that at all honestly. I would like to say that. I would have no problem giving it up, but Marino Gang is a whole new thing for this generation. After us, it’s going to be who’s the next Marino Gang, you feel me?

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