By: Drumma Boy

Mega hit producer Drumma Boy is hands down one of the most influential producers in the music game. With a discography longer than Niagara Falls, the Memphis, Tennessee native has crafted out endless Billboard chart-topping hits alongside some of the most successful musicians to date. To celebrate the historical Juneteenth, he released the official lyric video for his “Still Can’t Believe It” single, featuring Atlanta rapper Derez De’Shon.

“Still Can’t Believe It” is courtesy of the new Drumma Boy & Friends LP slated for release in the winter of this year. To ensure the success of this release, he teamed up with legendary hitmaker Scott Storch to create a one of a kind song. You will hear De’Shon spitting some of his most prolific bars to date. As he casually talks about living out his wildest dream, it becomes clear that he was created to thrive in the rap game. Some notable bars from “Still Can’t Believe It” include “I pull up and flex on em, wrist and my neck VVS on em, hop out that vet with a check on me”. These catchy lyrics appear in De’shon’s first verse setting the tone early.

One thing that is for certain about this emcee is his talent cannot be denied. With living legends such as Drumma Boy and Scott Storch backing him, Derez De’Shon is on track to have a fruitful career as a recording artist. Drumma Boy has done it again with another hit record. These days he seems more than unstoppable.

Tap in with him below and stream his new “Still Can’t Believe It” lyric video.

The post Drumma Boy Releases “Still Can’t Believe It” Lyric Video Feat. Derez De’Shon appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

By: Xay Capisce

Rising superstar Xay Capisce returns to the music scene with a hot new single titled “U Can’t Tell”. As he is the protege of Grammy and Oscar Award winning multi platinum selling producer Drumma Boy, his music is nothing less than high quality and timeless. You will hear his original sound reach new heights on this release.

After being sentenced to 10 years in the federal penitentiary for drug conspiracy he has changed his life and used music to combat his hardship. Since his release, he has been making his rounds and garnering the attention of his now mentor Drumma Boy. His debut project ON GOD 2 features records such as “Shottas” featuring Lil Boosie and “Harder Then Most” featuring Lightskin Keisha showing his influence circulating throughout the industry. But one record that has helped propel Xay’s career is his street hit “SLUMS”. Featuring Drumma Boy and VL DECK, the Alabama native is ready to take the Hip Hop community by storm.

With a recent distribution deal with AWAL he has released some fire singles including his “Privacy” single and visual! Now riding out the wave on his latest release “U CANT TELL” Xay is gearing up for his sophomore EP release CAPISCE. This emcee will take over the music business very soon!

Check out his hot, new single below by pressing play and tapping in with a rising superstar.

The post Xay Capisce Releases Hot New Single Titled “U Can’t Tell” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

By: K. Michelle

R&B living legend K. Michelle has officially released her highly anticipated All Monsters Are Human album. This release comes off the heels of her first visual of the year “Just Like Jay” that was released 24 hours prior to the full EP. As an entertainer, songwriter entrepreneur, and boss lady, she is ready to save R&B with her god given talent.

As this is her fifth studio album via Entertainment One Music, the Memphis native does an incredible job of tapping in with her established and thriving fanbase. The most notable element of All Monsters Are Human is the effortless production put into this release. Producers Riotheyneedahit, Aaron Sledge, Lee Major, Sean Momberger, Phillip Cornish, Drumma Boy, Jazzy Pha, Robot Scott and Troy Taylor, diligently worked together to ensure that Michelle’s vocals reached new heights as   a recording artist.

One song in particular that stands out is the second single released titled the “The Rain”. As it is currently charting at #8 on the Billboard Urban AC radio charts, her remake of New Edition’s hit “Can You Stand The Rain” is a certified hit record. You truly get the chance to hear how much of a creative genius she is on this particular song.

With this project currently holding down the #1 and #3 spot on the R&B charts, this is by far K. Michelle’s biggest release to date. Anyone doing R&B better watch out because this songbird is coming back for everyone’s head!

Press play below to experience musical bliss and tap into some new vibes on All Monsters Are Human.

The post K. Michelle Releases Highly Anticipated ‘All Monsters Are Human’ Album appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Home, sweet home! After being released from prison four months early, Gucci Mane remains on house arrest but is still enjoying every breath of fresh air in his lavish crib. The Brick Squad rapper lets his fans get a glimpse of his home in the official music video for his post-prison single “First Day Out The Feds.”

In the clip, Gucci takes you around his house shirtless showing off his newly improved bod. He also displays his ankle monitor above his right ankle in the beginning of the video with a nice view of his fresh J’s. Roaming around throwing hundreds in the air, Gucci also plays along with the “clone” rumors and uses some special effects to rap alongside Gucci clones.

“There’s a lot of people scared of me and I can’t blame ’em / they call me crazy so much, I think I’m starting to believe ’em / I did some things to some people that was down right evil / Is it karma coming back to me, so much drama / own mama turned her back on me, and that’s my mama.”

Guwop is planning to release his first studio album in half a decade, “Everybody Looking,” on July 22. The album will feature production from Mike WiLL Made-It, Zaytoven, and Drumma Boy.

Check out Gucci celebrate being home below.

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The post Watch Gucci Mane’s Official Music Video For “First Day Out The Feds” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Artwork: Chase Grizzly

Maybe you haven’t been keeping score, though; and if that’s the case, it’s all good, because DJ F.A.T.E. is here to get you together, with a brand new mix titled, Welcome to the Midwest V.

Teaming with well-known producer and emcee, Drumma Boy, F.A.T.E. introduces us to some Midwest talent that we might need to pay attention to, if we haven’t been already, with seventeen brand new tracks. Although is tape is Ohio-heavy, bouncing from Cleveland (Tezo, KiD CuDi, Ray Jr.), to Cincinnati (Lantana Easy) to Columbus (Tae Fresh, Jerreau, iyeball), F.A.T.E. and Drumma managed to throw some DeJ Loaf in there, along with southern acts like Chase N Cashe, and Scotty ATL.

Welcome to the Midwest V is a go, so press play.

For more from DJ F.A.T.E. be sure to catch him on the road, as he is the official DJ for King Chip.

The post RESPECT. Premiere: DJ F.A.T.E. & Drumma Boy – ‘Welcome to the Midwest V’ (Mixtape) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

‘Real Sisters’ – Future (Prod. Zaytoven)

RESPECT.: What keeps you so loyal to Atlanta’s hip-hop scene? Does the city offer something the rest of the country just can’t?

Zaytoven: “What keeps me loyal to the Atlanta Hip-Hop scene is, I think that’s where my sound has formulated, and that’s really the same reason why nowhere else can offer me what Atlanta offers me. Its cause what cultivated my sound is the flavor, and swag, and lingo that comes out of Atlanta. That’s what created my sound. That’s why I’m so loyal to it and that’s why I wouldn’t go anywhere else, cause I couldn’t get that from somewhere else.”

RESPECT.: More than ever, producers in Hip-Hop hold a crucial influence on the popularity of songs and artists. What are your thoughts on the fact that now the right producer can do just as much for your song as a well-known feature in 2016?

Zaytoven: “Ahh I love it man, its bringing it back to the producers. Back when Timbaland and Pharrell or Dr. Dre was popular, with them being your premiere producer on your song, you could be a nobody or somebody, and people are going to be really excited for your song, and want to hear your song because of the producer. So it’s a good thing its back to that right now, cause it gives us more identity, lets us make more money, helps us be in the forefront more, and helps us stick around longer.”

RESPECT.: What does it take to become a super-producer such as yourself? and do you see yourself as a super-producer?

Zaytoven: “I think what it takes to become a super producer is, breaking the unknown artist. The title is thrown around so loosely now, that anybody that makes one big song is a super-producer now. But I think it really takes cultivating the artist and not just doing it one time, but doing it over and over again, with various artists and being successful in that, and that’s what makes you a super-producer.”

RESPECT.: What pushes you towards Trap, more than any other sub-genre of Hip-Hop?

Zaytoven: “Trap to me has more soul and feeling in it. Even though its 808 driven, and its bass driven, and the music is probably talking about selling drugs or hustling a certain way, it still has a feeling to it. It has a certain struggle to it and it has a soul in it. It’s just its own thing and that’s what drives me to it.”

RESPECT.: Working with rising stars and artists on the cusp of major success has become a regular occurrence for you and something your fans have learned to love. What do you specifically look for in an artist before you start building with them?

Zaytoven: “It’s a certain thing that’s called the “it” factor, and with the “it” factor it’s not so much that you can see it, or hear it. It’s not that I look for an artist that raps so good or artists that can do one thing that’s so good, it just a total package. When I see an artist and I hear what they’re saying, they don’t even have to be a great rapper, but if they look the part and it goes with what they’re saying and the way they move and how they carry themselves, to me that’s the “it” factor I’m looking for. It’s hard to say exactly what the It factor is, it’s just when your around that person or you see that person or you hear em, you know they got something special.”

RESPECT.: One of the biggest stories of 2015 was Future’s work ethic. He released 5 mixtapes, including Beast Mode which you produced top to bottom. What do you think of other artists now attempting a similar strategy and work ethic?

Zaytoven: “It goes back to Gucci Mane, maybe in ’08, when Gucci just started putting out a whole lot of mixtapes, just song after song, mixtape after mixtape. And that just shows whatever artist is trying to make it, or somebody that’s trying to stay relevant, you got to work and put out music, cause the fans and the audience now don’t listen to stuff as long as we used to. We’re always looking for something new, I think that with the technology we get bored fast. It’s now to the point where Future showed you got to work, and got to stay consistently putting out good music, just to stay relevant or stay hot.”

RESPECT.: Since your Instagram post last August with Future, there has been a lot of rumors circulating over the possibility of Beast Mode 2, are there any details you can give us?

Zaytoven: “Not Really. All I can say is me and Future recorded at least a hundred songs together. We maybe had about fifty songs when we did Beast Mode, so there’s a lot of songs that didn’t go on Beast Mode that I probably liked more. And then we’ve been recording periodically throughout the year, time and time again. We just got so many records, I think when the timing is right or when Future feels like that needs to be presented again, it will come out.”

‘Oooooh’ – Future Ft. Scooter (Prod. Zaytoven)

RESPECT.: Your appearing in BMI’s Producer Battle with Drumma Boy on April 5th. Can you tell us a bit about it and how you got involved?

Zaytoven: “My buddy Byron Wright called and asked me, did I want to headline for a producer battle. Cause last year I went and they had Mannie Fresh, DJ Toomp and KLC. So when he asked me I was like “Yeah i’ll do it, I’d love to do it.” He said V”Cool cause I want to verse you with Drumma Boy cause both of you have been in the game for so long, lasted this long, and are still relevant in the game.” Drumma Boy is a long time friend of mine and with that respect doing the music, so I wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d be the perfect guy I’d want to do this event with. I’m excited about it.”

RESPECT.: On April 30th yourself, Sonny Digital, and Metro-Boomin will be at a round-table discussion in NYC hosted by Red Bull. What is this discussion about? and what do you hope it will achieve?

Zaytoven: “What it’s about, I’m really not sure yet. What I’m hoping that it achieves is, it lets people know that we really come together, and we’re the guys that really make a difference in this music right now. I’m hoping it sheds a light on that, and further sheds a light on that producers mean just as much as these artists now.”

RESPECT.: It’s quite clear your talent and interests exceed simply Hip-Hop production. Can you give us some details on the sequel to your film, Birds of a Feather?

Zaytoven: “I haven’t fully finished the script yet. But it’s really just about somebody like me, that’s been in the game for so long, and how you can fall off or not be as popular as you were at one time, then a new producer comes in. I’ve seen it with my own eyes how the game is. New guys come in and they be the hot guy right now. But at the same time, with somebody like me whose so challenging, and still wants to be on top and competitive, it shows how I can be redeemed and how I [can] come back to work even harder to get back on top. Music is being made different now-a-days, people are using technology a lot more than talent and I just wanted to show how a producer can really fall off or get the life taken away from him, but then come back using really gifted talent and hustling a certain way. That’s what mainly I think Birds of a Feather 2 is going to be about.”

‘I Still Got It’ – Usher Ft. Migos (Prod. Zaytoven)

RESPECT.: Production Ad-libs are quickly becoming an essential element to any producer, thanks in large to Metro-Boomin and DJ Mustard. Do you approve of this new obsession, and can you explain the inspiration for yours?

Zaytoven: “Those are tags that helps out the producer, and shows how closely the artist worked with the producer. But I had those same things back in maybe 2004, 2005 all the way up to when Gucci Mane got locked up. Every track we used to do together was “Zaytoven”, “Zay-T on the track”. It’s the same thing, these are just tags that the artist gives up or uses on this track that we do. It shows that the artist is really rocking with us and that they’re really proud of what we’re doing, they got they’re chest out when they’re saying our name, and money can’t pay for that.”

RESPECT.: You produce for the biggest names in Atlanta, and across the country. Do you prefer working with lesser or more established artists?

Zaytoven: “A lot of times lesser. More established money wise, but what keeps me innovative, and what keeps me coming with something new and fresh is the lesser known artist. It’s cause they come with something new, they come in a different way you never heard of before, that’s why I always continue working with the guys you probably never heard of before they blow up. Then when they blow up you say “ohh Zaytoven been working with em this whole time”. Its cause they bring something different man, they bring something fresh.”

RESPECT.: There are a ton of big producers in Atlanta right now with yourself, Sonny Digital, Metro-Boomin and Mike Will Made It. How would you say your sound differs from other popular producers in Atlanta?

Zaytoven: “I think their sound is more so digital and computer based, I think all the guys you named use the product Fruity Loops to produce on. I’m still a guy that uses analog equipment. I still play the keyboard, the old analog NPC, so a lot of my stuff is really just me playing, and its melody driven with my skills on the piano and producing that way. It’s an old school way of producing but I think that’s what’s kept me in the game, its cause there’s nobody else really doing that. I started the change but I said, if I start changing I’ll just sound like everybody else and loose who I am. Since people love the sound, let me stick to what I’m doing.”

RESPECT.: 2015 was of course a big year for you, is there any moment or project that stood out above the rest?

Zaytoven: “Beast Mode, definitely.”

RESPECT.: Looking to the future, what is one specific goal you hope to achieve in 2016?

Zaytoven: “Not really, there’s not just one goal I have this year man. A lot of doors have opened up for me and of course I want to finish my third movie and have that on Netflix. I have a thing I’m doing now that’s called “Zaytoven’s Producer Camp” and I just want to see that grow more and more. And of course this year you’re going to see me producing for a lot of guys you probably never seen me producer for.”

RESPECT.: Any advice for young producers putting in work and trying make a name?

Zaytoven: “Yes and its creating their own sound. I always tell producers, what helps create your own sound is finding a new artist that’s on the come up or, you know that they’re serious about trying to make it in the music industry, or that y’all gel together and got chemistry. Then work with that guy to help him make it in the game. Cause to me, most producers where they get they’re sound or name from, is from an artist. With me its Gucci Mane, with Snoop Dogg its Dr. Dre, that’s what brings the sound in and makes it stick for so long. I always encourage producers to team up with an artist that they gel with, and that can definitely get them a spot in the game.”

RESPECT.: Who have you been working with in the studio recently? can you share any details?

Zaytoven: “Man I’m just working with so many people I don’t even want to just start naming one, and then forget the rest of them. I’m just working with so many people now, it’s almost everybody you can think of in the Rap/Hip-Hop game.

‘Conceited’ – Gucci Mane (Zaytoven)

As Atlanta’s Hip-Hop scene continues to grow and flourish, Zaytoven is sculpting it in a way only a true visionary can. His continuous cultivation of new and exciting artists and they’re sound, is one of the reasons why his city and his fans just can’t seem to get enough. When it comes to reliability, hit-making and authenticity, Zaytoven effortlessly rises above the rest. It’s impossible to know who the next Hip-Hop sensation will be however, there’s a pretty good chance Zaytoven is already with them cooking up their first big hit.

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The post RESPECT. Interview: Zaytoven talks Atlanta & Upcoming Projects appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Indie R&B/Pop sensation ALX (formerly alex_242) gives fans a taste of her new music with the release of the sexy single “Runnin,” produced by super producer Drumma Boy and co-producer Patrick Collier. ALX, who proudly reps her native Nassau, Bahamas roots, showcases her effortless vocal range and powerful pen game on the sultry R&B track – a surefire hit for the current cuffing season.

“This song is about making falling in love cool again. It’s about someone being there for you through ups and downs and realizing that’s the person you should have been with all along,” the songstress says.

“Runnin” is the official first single from ALX’s upcoming concept album titled Arcadia, which is expected to drop in early 2016.

“I want my fans to know I’m coming from an honest place with my music. I’m sitting here writing from my heart to them. I hope they really connect with me on this new project,” notes the Atlanta resident, who has also worked closely with industry icon Dallas Austin. The upcoming Caribbean-infused R&B/Pop album will be ALX’s debut project as an indie artist.

The post ALX Releases Sexy New Single “Runnin” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.