THE DOVE SOCIETY 
Hear the Roses presents a series of music-focused features. The podcast about passion, perseverance and the pursuit of dreams, includes an in-depth conversation with Grammy Award-winning music producer Shafiq Husayn (SA-RA Creative Partners) and his The Dove Society label mates, who open up about their creative process, working with Anderson .Paak and “being a vessel.”
Listen: https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/the-dove-society

ASYA SHEIN 
The music edition features an intimate interview with Asya Shein, founder and curator for FUSICOLOGY, a Hub for Progressive Culture and Lifestyle events that has worked with artists including Anderson .Paak, Aloe Blacc and Robert Glasper.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/fusicology-asya-shein

BILLY JOHNSON JR. 
The music edition includes an in-depth conversation with veteran music journalist Billy Johnson Jr., a former senior editor for Yahoo! Music, who has interviewed musical icons such as Beyoncé and Janet Jackson.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/musicjournalistbillyjohnsonjr

The post Hear the Roses: Music Edition appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

This podcast was recorded on Saturday, January 21, 2017, the day of The Women’s March. On this historic day, millions of people around the world came together to march in solidarity for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families, recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our world. Jamel Shabazz’s iconic photos are a testament to the beauty, diversity and humanity that we are striving to preserve.

January 26, 2017 — Hear the Roses Podcast features iconic photographer Jamel Shabazz whose journey through Brooklyn’s streets in the ‘80s to drugs, graffiti and hip hop has served as the world’s “visual medicine.”

This week Roses features photographer Jamel Shabazz who shares his journey from capturing some of the most iconic photos of ‘80s Brooklyn and the emerging hip hop scene to how his photography has a deeper purpose as visual medicine.

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/jamel-shabazz

 

Listen: Soundcloud.com/heartheroses
HEAR THE ROSES is also available on partner sites The Museum of Light, Fusicology, and RESPECT. Magazine

The post Hear the Roses Podcast features Documentarian, Jamel Shabazz appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Museum of Light launches a new weekly blog, Sounds of Light, where music journalist Billy Johnson Jr. reviews introspective songs that inspire, exploring the likes of family, the arts and politics. First up is a spotlight on Miami hip hop duo Social Club Misfits who just released their new album The Misadventures of Fern & Marty that includes the featured track, “A Song for Cami,” a record Fern penned about his children.

If we only listened to the songs on the radio, we would think that artists have nothing more to sing or rap about than partying and having sex. So, I’ve tasked myself with finding the music, mainly album cuts, that are more introspective and enlightening. Welcome to Sounds of Light, a new weekly feature on the Museum of Light.

I’m kicking off Sounds of Light with a track from the Miami-based hip hop duo Social Club Misfit’s new album The Misadventures of Fern & Marty on Capitol CMG Music. “A Song for Cami,” is a solo offering from Fern, who has a tradition of making records for his kids, Camila Bella, 5, and Santino, 2.

Hear Social Club Misfits’ “A Song for Cami”

Over a comforting jazzy, piano and snare-driven music bed reminiscent of early 1990s hip hop, Fern reflects on everything from the joys of putting his son to bed at night to instilling a strong work ethic in his children. During an exclusive interview with Sounds of Light, Fern explains that emphasizing hard work was the song’s main inspiration.

In one lyric, Fern is critical of using crowdfunding to raise money for projects as opposed to generating startup expenses from working: “Why don’t y’all start making money and stop raising funds / Cause all that GoFundMe is a bit much / Told my daughter hard work only is the way to stay up.”

Fern explains the motivation for the song. “I encourage my son and daughter to work hard,” he tells Sounds of Light. “I see a lot of GoFundMe pages. Regardless of the situation, some people need it. But I encourage hard work, and I put that on that song. I want to make sure when [my daughter] hears this song in 20 years from now that she hears me encouraging hard work. ”Fern says Cami remembers the days he had a regular job, pursued his music at night, and had to drive his wife to work. “I literally did not have time to be with them,” he recalls.

Marty, who got married last year and does not have any children yet, gives Fern props for how he’s managed to balance family and music. “The fact that [Fern] travels while raising children, that’s a huge deal,” Marty says. Marty also rhymes about family life — his new bride — on the album’s song “Love 4 Real.”

Fern, who has been married for seven years, says to expect more personal songs from him in the future. “Don’t be surprised if you hear more family songs from me,” he says. “I’ve been blessed. I want to promote the family unit, my kids, my wife. I want people to know there are so many other things to talk about.”

Fern and Marty cover a lot of bases on The Misadventures of Fern & Marty and it’s appreciated.

You can also find this story on THE MUSUEM OF LIGHT and RESPECT Magazine.

The Museum of Light is curated by Billy Johnson Jr., Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Malik Buie, Matt Smith, and Adell Henderson.

The post Sounds of Light: Fern of Social Club Misfits Pens ‘A Song for Cami,’ an Ode to His Kids appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Andy Lee

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, is there an element  of transformation in your creative expression? How does this process for you, connect to that of an alchemists?

MAURICE GARLAND: Most definitely. As a writer and music journalist, I look at my work as using words to paint pictures which I consider a valuable skill and talent seeing as how so much of our communication nowadays is visual-driven. When I write I am relying on history and the present moment to tell a story that someone in the future will hopefully read, enjoy and even reference. Also, often times, I interview artists and other creatives who may not be as open or well-spoken as the next person, so I have to find ways to not only get them out of their comfort zone and share, but later combine my words with theirs to create a compelling, truthful story

Photo Credit: Anthony “Truth” Gary

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light. Do you see your work behind the pen or behind the lens, as a reflection of this light?

MAURICE GARLAND: I do. When I interview and write about “stars” I like to create stories that inspire readers to become “stars” themselves or at least absorb some of that star energy that they give off. Rick Ross personally contacted me and told me the cover story that I wrote on him for The Source (Decemeber 2015) was one of the best if not the best stories he’s even read written about him. I’ve written bios for Big Boi and Kendrick Lamar, so in those cases I have to capture what they are about and use my words to present them to the world they way they want to be seen. Every star begins as a particle and winds up becoming a star. That said, much of the work I have done has revolved around getting people to recognize stars in the making. I was the first person to interview or write nationally published articles on people like Janelle Monae and B.o.B. Killer Mike is all over the place now, but for years it felt like I was the only person interested in interviewing him. So yes, I do see my work as a reflection of their light.

Photo Credit: Wesley Persons

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” Where do you find the creative spark? What inspires your work and does it require a sense of courage to create from this unknown space?

MAURICE GARLAND:  What some call a “block” I like to look at as a time to rest. When I am not inspired to create, I rest. I sit still and enjoy those moments where my mind and spirit are simply being rather than doing. Fortunately, I rarely have to go find inspiration or a creative spark. During those “block” times ideas usually come to me because I am being still and allowing the universe to bring them to me rather than running and moving and looking. I have found when you move around too much looking for something, you miss what was there waiting for you to claim all along.

The Museum of Light is curated by: 
Billy Johnson Jr., Joslyn Rose Lyons, Adell Henderson, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

For more info on The Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

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THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists as Alchemists: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

R. CITY:  We came from nothing and made something. Our mission and goal is for our music to inspire people to do great things. Our inspiration was our father and his belief in us. Other artists we looked up to impacted our life and everything they did to change their communities and hip hop is a huge part of us wanting to change our life. We want our music to be the catalyst to change and motivate people to go and get it.

The Museum of Light: The Evidence of the Journey: Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light, do you see your work as an artist like that of a star? Is this “light” that stars radiate merely the evidence of this journey of becoming a star/learning to radiate light?

R. CITY: The longer and harder the journey the longer the star shines. A Shooting stars light burns out. The journey is important for the light and dictates how long and brilliant that star will be. The stars that are born shine the brightest but the stars that are created don’t last. Our journey has prepared us for everything that stardom brings with it. Nothing you throw at me will knock me down.

The Museum of Light: The Courage to Create: When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” How do you navigate this space, how do you find the creative spark in the dark, and does it require courage to create from this unknown space? Describe this process.

R. CITY: You have to step away from it for a minute. Usually the creative block is from other personal issues because I had other things sitting on my conscious. I had to start having fun again. I needed something to make me laugh; to make me smile. I needed inspiration from life. I get inspiration from life. Courage comes from fear. Fear of failure creates internal motivation, I have to motivate myself to keep going back to the past. Courage comes from not wanting to go back. Anyone who has ever had doubts Trying to make the impossible possible. Pulling from people that have been proof of that.

For more info on The Museum of Light visit:
www.themuseumoflight.com
www.instagram.com/museumoflight
www.twitter.com/museumoflight

The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT WITH R. CITY appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Museum of Light spotlights Michelle Williams in The Light Tuesdays series. During her The Light Tuesdays feature, Williams reminds us that our dreams are achievable if we are willing to do the work. The fruits of her labor were plentiful in 2014 as Williams released her fourth solo album Journey to Freedom (that includes “Say Yes,” her Hot Gospel Songs hit with her Destiny’s Child sisters Beyoncé and Kelly), she co-starred on the Oxygen network series Fix My Choir and was a frequent guest host on The View.

ABOUT THE LIGHT

The Light documentary, which explores the artist’s journey, is being directed by award-winning filmmaker Joslyn Rose Lyons with music journalist Billy Johnson Jr. producing. The online exhibition is being curated by The Light producers in collaboration with Rafael Casal and Blended Creatives.

“There’s an over saturation of salacious media coverage on the Internet. The intent of this project is to add more positive affirmations into the mix,” Johnson says. “The artists we have interviewed for The Light thus far have shared with us the philosophies of their triumphs and we know people will be blessed when they hear these stories. This is just a taste of what’s to come.”

For more info on The Museum of Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

The post THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT RECOGNIZES MICHELLE WILLIAMS IN ONLINE EXHIBITION appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Ski Beatz requires no introduction. Nor does he require a daily dose of inspiration to get a good night’s sleep. The NC-born, NY-groomed producer is adamant about the fact that he doesn’t force his inspiration. Ski doesn’t need to cause a ruckus around town, or cause drama with a chick in order to stir up his inspiration. In fact, Ski might be the only known genius alive today who doesn’t fancy a muse to get his shit done, and believe me, the dude’s produced plenty of cold shit. From “Luchini” to “Streets Is Watching” to “Michael Knight”, Ski continues to churn out more audio dope, all the while making cats like Jean Luc Godard, Salvador Dali, and hell, even Kanye West, appear more than a little ostentatious. Ski Beatz does it strictly for the love.

Read the complete interview after the jump.   

I hear you got 24 Hour Karate School UK, Spain, and Japan, as well as Pilot Talk III with Curren$y. What’s the timeline on these projects?

24 Hour Karate School UK, Spain, and Japan are definitely coming. Pilot Talk III, we’re still trying to work it out. Hopefully I can get it done. I’m not exactly sure about the timeline.

Hopefully soon.

Yeah, definitely. But I got another album that’s about to drop, on the 12th. That’s The Twilight Zone. On that album I have Curren$y, I have Smoke DZA, I have Mikey Rocks, Mac Miller, a bunch of cool rappers in there.

Oh shit, Mac Miller.

I worked with him a while ago. It was dope. Mac is cool. He’s a funny dude, easy to work with.

You balance a lot of work. How do you do it? What’s the recipe for managing so many responsibilities?

I don’t think about it, I just do it. I don’t sit around trying to plan it out. I just make music and people come in and we record it. It just gets done, you know?

What are you doing differently this time around, because I know before you kind of burnt out and moved back home to North Carolina?

I’m just loving it, man. The difference now, when I first started doing this it was strictly all love, and I wasn’t expecting anything in return. I was just doing it for the love. I think I’m back to that original formula. I just want to make a beat and then I want someone to make a song to it, because I want to know how it’ll sound like. Once you get one song under your belt it’s like an addiction, like, “I’m want to do another song and find out what this sounds like.” So I’m going to keep that same mind-frame.

With all this work, could you ever have a girl? What’s your experience with that?

What? A girlfriend? I could definitely have a girl doing all this, yeah. I work out of my house.

Rappers and producers these days claim they never stop working, they work all night, that kind of thing. Is this just something you have to say nowadays, or does it actually hold some truth?

I don’t know. I don’t work all day and all night. I just work when I feel it. You’re never going to hear me say, “Yo, I’m not stopping, I’m a machine. I’m in the studio every day.” We just be going in. I don’t know, man. Everything just happens perfectly. I guess on my musical level a lot of people come around at the right time, and I’m inspired at the right time to do what I have to do. Once we get it started I get it done, but I’m definitely not making beats every day. I’m not in the studio every day. It might appear that I am, because there’s so much stuff coming out, but it’s really not like that with me.

If one or two days go by and you’re not in the studio making beats, do you feel guilty that you’re not in there making music?

I used to back in the day, not anymore, I just let inspiration hit me. If I don’t feel like making a beat, I don’t have to make a beat if I don’t want to. I’m going to sleep, I’m going to watch TV, I’m going to chill, and not even think about it. And then when it’s time to make a beat, and the inspiration’s there, you’ll make a beat. There’s no need to be sitting up on your equipment with no inspiration.

You don’t want to force it out.

Exactly, you don’t want to force nothing. You just want to do it, like I said, for the love, because you want to do it. You don’t want to just sit there and say, “I have to work because I have to make these beats because I’m trying to get this money to do this and that,” and end up making a batch of not-so-cool music. You got to keep it hip. If you’re feeling good the music’s going to be tight. If you’re feeling tired, you’re going to hear it and you’re going to feel it.

I totally agree. And I wondered, what’s so appealing about working with Curren$y, because you work with him so much?

To be honest, man, it’s just loving to hear what he’s going to do to the beats. I’m always amazed at the concepts and the hooks and his choice of flows, all that. It’s a treat, man.

Have you seen his “JETS” video with Trademark Da Skydiver, when he’s rapping over the “B.M.F.” beat?

No, I haven’t seen that.

They’re walking around this huge house, I think it’s Dame Dash’s house, almost like a cottage-

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, my bad. I was there that day when they shot that video. That’s the house. We go there every now and then. It’s like our getaway from the city. We go there to record. I did most of MURS’ stuff up there too.

Where is that house?

It’s upstate. I’m not sure where. It’s like an hour upstate.

Speaking of locations, when you’re making music do you ever try to capture a feeling you had at a certain locale?

Uh-uh. I don’t try to recreate anything. I just make the music. Wherever I’m at I just make the music. Bruh, I promise you, I don’t dwell on the past at all. I just stay in the immediate now and wait for the inspiration to hit me and that’s how I go.

You’ve simplified your process.

Yessir.

You sampled Roy Ayers for the one Original Flavor record, “Keep On (Searching)”. I actually met Roy the other night in Toronto, which was awesome. Have you ever met him?

I’ve never met him, man. Hopefully one day I will.

Is it crazy to finally meet someone that you’ve sampled and listened to their voice over and over again?

Yeah. Have you ever heard of the band called Doctor Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band?

No, never.

They’ve got this song called “Sunshower”. I sampled that and I got a chance to work with the actual vibe player. The guy who plays the vibes is really good. I worked with him. We played the sample. He played the sample for me, which was kind of cool.

I’ve watched The Alchemist pick his records to sample, he just picks records at random from his crates and then makes the beat from whatever he picks. Is it the same for you, or is there a reason for each record you chose to sample?

Sometimes I like the record for the cover, sometimes there might be like- say you got a famous horn player who you know is dope, I might just see his name on something at the store which makes me buy the record. A lot of it is just grabbing a stack and going home and going through it. That’s how I found “Luchini”. I wasn’t searching for it. I just grabbed a stack and found the record. I have the utmost respect for those guys who can go dig and they know where every break came from and where every sample came from. That’s a crazy talent by itself, but I was never able to do that. I just grab a bunch of records.

The inspiration was probably coming so fast.

That’s right.

Your North Carolina mate, 9th Wonder, he has a crazy story about working with Jay-Z on The Black Album. But I think you’re just as good of a storyteller. You talk about working with this cop, Jerome, and shacking up at his crib in New York. Was Jerome a tight rapper?

Naw, he was actually pretty wack. [laughs] He was pretty wack, man, but he was definitely official for me at that time because without him there wouldn’t have been any Original Flavor.

Where do you get these storytelling skills from?

You know, it’s the truth, it comes from the heart. It’s just shit that I went through. [laughs] I’m not a storyteller. I just say it how I remember it.

It’s pretty entertaining. When you were talking about Jerome, you said you were judging church talent shows. Sometimes it’s crazy where you can find talent. Where’s the most obscure place you’ve encountered a musician who you believe is extremely talented?

Wow, that’s a good question. I don’t even know.

You run into people during the day? I know the people in the subway in Toronto can be pretty crazy, even these dudes playing the bagpipes.

I know, right? The subway people are the best, man. They be the best. It just happens, man. Life brings dope things in front of you. You think, “Damn, I like the way this kid sounds, or she can sing.” It just happens, you know? I never go out and search for people, like, “I want to find some talented people, let’s have a talent festival.” Naw, I just run into people. My whole life is this accident. I live an accidental life.

[laughs] It’s working pretty well for you. I was talking to a friend the other day and I was saying how great it would be if Jay went back and did a whole album with you now, and switch things up completely, go from larger than life to minimalist.

I think that would be an amazing idea. I think that would be kind of crazy, to bring Jay back down to Earth. But his mentality has to be there and I know his mentality is on Mars right now, because he’s at the top of his game. It’s hard to bring someone back down to the streets when they ain’t in the streets. But if he reaches out to me, like, “Ski, let’s do it,” I’d definitely do it, you know that.

When Jay released Vol. 2, was that during your hiatus, or was it a blow to see nothing on that album?

That’s when I started on Roc-A-Fella, on Roc-A-Blok. There wasn’t any love lost, at the time I was just producing Camp Lo and all this other shit that I was trying to develop for myself. Did I do anything for that?

Well, I wondered if you got in the studio and he just didn’t-

Naw, naw, I wasn’t in the studio. Was “Who You Wit II” and “Streets Is Watching” on that one?

I think that was Reasonable Doubt. Reasonable Doubt is one of my favorites. Jay always says he doesn’t smoke weed. Did he back then?

He didn’t smoke anything back then. There was a lot more Moet and Cristal poppin. There wasn’t any weed smoking, not back then.

Movies influence you at all?

I used to watch a bunch of Kung Fu shit. It didn’t influence me to make music. What influenced me to make music is when I got caught up in that whole hip-hop culture, you know, everybody knows I started as a breakdancer, then I started DJing, then I started doing graffiti, then I started rapping, then I started producing. I went through the whole culture of hip-hop. That whole colorful backdrop, the graffiti and all that, it became embedded in my DNA and that’s how my music comes out.

Do you still bust out the occasional dance move?

Matter-of-fact my piano player is a down-hard B-boy. So any time I see him dance, he’s like, “C’mon, Ski, do a move.” I always break with him.

Have you been in Toronto lately, touring?

Yeah, we went to Canada. I can’t remember the name of the spot. Oh, man. It was my second time going there. The first time was with Murs. Yeah, it’s a good spot. I’m actually going back to Toronto. I’m doing this Beat Academy thing with my homegirl.

– By @petermarrack

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