From Snoop Doggy Dog, to Grandmaster Flash, we’re hopping in a time machine as we go through Hip-Hop’s 25 Most Memorable Album Covers.

25. Juvenile, 400 Degreez (1998)

From the diamonds and flames, to the Z in “Degreez” being a dollar sign…There’s just something about the WordArt feel of this album that keeps fans coming back.

24. Wale, Attention Deficit (2009)

The obvious shoutout to a digital world reigns as the focal point for this album cover. A strong, yet simple message burns through the vibrant cool colors, and captures your attention immediately.

23. De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

You’ve probably seen these flowers before, or maybe even these 3 talented young men. Fun fact, rap group De La Soul actually hates this album cover. They felt that everyone would be associating them with flowers, peace, the whole hippie movement, when that wasn’t them at all!

22. Kanye West, 808s and Heartbreak (2008)

The minimalism in this cover is the beauty of it all. Kanye was hurting, simple as that!

21. 2Pac, Me Against The World (1995)

This album shook the charts, and you couldn’t go anywhere in 1995 without seeing it. 2Pac rocked the world right before his unfortunate passing, and sold hundreds of thousands copies of the album.

20. Run-D.M.C., Run-D.M.C. (1984)

Run-D.M.C.; Pioneers, legends, superstars. This classic cover had to make the list!

19. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Firstly, it’s Lauryn Hill etched into a school desk. This album taught everyone a couple of things. No further explanation needed.

18. Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle (1993)

From the dogcatcher in the back to the Snoop Dogg lookalike on top of the dog house, this album cover is full of style, steeze, and comedy!

17. Eric B. & Rakim, Paid in Full (1987)

Money. Harlem was all about money. Eric B. and Rakim made it clear that they had it, and there was never any problem getting it! The Dapper Dan Gucci sweatsuits, the huge rope chains… The aesthetic of it all represents a very transitional era in the development of Hip-Hop music.

16. Ice Cube, Death Certificate (1991)

Ice Cube next to Uncle Sam’s corpse. No further explaining to do.

17. Missy Elliott, Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

Missy Elliott has always held more swag than most artists in the music industry, remaining humble and subtly stunting on everyone! This cover embodies exactly who she is; chilling for the moment… but don’t forget that she’s fly.

18. Wu-tang Clan, Enter the Wu-tang: 36 Chambers (1993)

This album cover is actually kind of wild. Firstly, no face, no case. Secondly, does the guy in the front have a finger gun? This album cover is great for its immense mystery.

17. Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001)

Jay-Z wearing a Rocawear jean jacket smoking a cigar. He won.

16. A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders (1993)

The various facial expressions in the background, the bulging eyes… What do we look at first?! This album cover is great because it leaves so much space for interpretation, the colors on the cover represent so many things, and everyone would formulate their own meaning.

15. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

We need to take over the White House… and keep it. Bring our culture, our families, our music… make it OUR country. Simply put.

14. Kanye West, The College Dropout (2004)

We all know the bear. This bear costume (that Kanye FOUND, by the way) looks like any college student during the longest finals week ever: TIRED. The album cover is warm, relatable, and not complex; perfect in a sense.

13. Grandmaster Flash, The Source (1986)

Do we start off with the fly guy with this legs crossed, or old boy with the red leather hat to match his shoes? This album cover embodies the true start of Hip-Hop. B-boys, spitting bars in New York City’s uptown train station, even down the pager on homeboy’s hip!

12. Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Doggfather (1996)

The Godfather is a critically acclaimed cult classic, and Snoop Dogg actually might’ve done something, by simply switching 2 letters! This was Snoop’s final album on Death Row Records under his name of Snoop Doggy Dogg, and he was owning the game. The West coast made no moves without you hearing about Snoop, rightfully making him the Doggfather.

11. NWA, Straight Out of Compton (1988)

One of the most controversial groups, with one of the most rebellious albums of all time. These young men all banded together and shook the West coast with words that everyone in Compton couldn’t bring themselves to say.

10. The Fugees, The Score (1996)

Firstly, Lauryn Hill AND Wyclef Jean on ONE album cover… That’s art. The beauty lies in the minimal yet intense typography, and the 3 beautiful black faces.

9. Nas, Illmatic (1994)

This kid is too cute. Too cute for the cover, and too cute for the hood he reigns from. Nas showed that everyone was suffering and surviving, even the young.

8. Master P, The Ghettos Tryin To Kill Me! (1994)

The lace bra hanging from Master P’s name, the Boosie fade, my man creeping in the window “Cell Therapy” style… The lo-fi quality wraps it all together, you feel like you’re watching a movie, and you’ve barely even looked at the cover.

7. DMX, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998)

This album cover is bloody and gory, in every sense. Its beauty lies in the naive state of such a “Ruff” guy, and almost goes to show that the black man is one of the most sensitive species.

6. Redman, Dare Iz a Darkside (1994)

Redman is stuck buried in this Children of the Corn looking field, and its freaking me out. I love it.

5. Outkast, Stankonia (2000)

This album cover is great for 3 reasons: One, Andre 3000 was having an amazing hair day. Two, so was Big Boi. Thirdly, it calls out the entire country, so subtly, being a black and white world. We all knew… But did we really know?

4. Gang Starr, Daily Operation (1992)

Gang Starr is really giving off intellectual and successful vibes, and who doesn’t love that? “The goal is money, and this is how we get it. Don’t ask no questions, I thought this through.” Guys from the hood are smart too!

3. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return of the 36 Chambers (1995)

Have you seen the O.D.B tv special, where he took America into the food stamp office in Brooklyn, and got his money right? This man never cared, was never too embarrassed to live his life and let whoever wanted to look come and see. Hoping his unbothered soul is resting in peace.

2. The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die (1994)

Foreshadowing? This was Biggie’s debut album, and just as his career was being born, he was ready to die. Sadly, he would pass away 2 years after its release. But in those 2 short years, he conquered the world. He started off on top, and he achieved what he needed to; he was truly ready to die.

1. Geto Boys, We Can’t Be Stopped (1991)

This man… Is in a hospital bed. The rap trio is standing in a hospital, posed for an ALBUM COVER. Who was stopping the Geto Boys? NOTHING! They literally cannot be stopped, no matter the circumstance. This cover is full of hustle and desire to reach success, and has to be respected as THE most memorable. Who’s forgetting this?

Do you have any albums you think should’ve been on this list? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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Kelow Latesha Returns With New Single “Yeah”

The post 25 of Hip Hop’s Most Memorable Album Covers appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Go cop the big homie’s very first independent release if you haven’t already. Deeply Rooted features Rick Ross, Nas, John Legend, CeeLo Green, Avant, Papa Rue and Z-Ro. Shout out to Rico Allen for always holding our boy down. I’m looking forward to seeing him put in werk at the ONE MusicFest in Atlanta.

The post Real Talk: Mr. Scarface Is Back! appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s been over two years since Meridian, Mississippi’s own, Big K.R.I.T. released his major label debut album, Live From The Underground, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy. Last year he dropped the well-received mixtape, King Remembered In Time and he’s been hitting the road with the likes of Macklemore and Talib Kweli. The fourth installment of his See Me On Top series just hit the internet last week and his new album, Cadillactica is slated for release this November. Although he’s currently gearing up for his Pay Attention tour with Two-9, Young Krizzle to the time to talk with us about life in Meridian, musical influences and artistic growth, among other things.

You are a very soulful artist. It comes out in your music. Who were some of your early influences and who introduced you to that kind of music?

I would say that my father was the first person to play Geto Boys and NWA around me. He had tapes and I remember he was really into electronics. He had a lot of old cassette players and things of that nature and he was the first to really introduce me to that. I didn’t find out about Outkast until I was riding around with one of my first cousins. I would attribute my grandmother to putting me onto the blues and soul music. Like James Brown, B.B. King and people of that nature. So growing up, I had a wide range of things I could pick from. When I got to an age where I could start buying my own CDs and turn the radio onto what I wanted to hear, that’s when I started discovering Willie Hutch, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, UGK, Three 6 Mafia and Eightball & MJG. That was the beginning of me listening to music in a way where not only was I entertained by it and influenced as a person, but I wanted to know how it was created in that manner.

That’s kind of how I was. When I was 15 or so, I started listening to the oldies station on AM radio and hearing songs that had been sampled for the rap I was listening to on the FM stations. I’ve been hooked ever since.

It’s so many jewels and things you just pick up on a random radio station. A lot of obscure samples came from only having one vinyl record pressed up, maybe one single. The songs that never really, really blew up…sometimes have some of the most amazing melodies and backgrounds and riffs.

I have family in West Alabama, right on the border and anytime I’m there, we go the Bonita Lakes Mall in Meridian. I’m familiar with the area and years ago when someone told me that a cat from Meridian was spitting rhymes, I had to check it out.

Most people have to ride through Meridian to get to Jackson or Biloxi, so they probably have rode through Meridian and didn’t even know it.

What was life like in Meridian coming up?

It was very humbling. I had the opportunity to be raised by a lot of elders. It was the “It takes a village to raise a child” mentality. Both of my parents were very active in my life, even though they weren’t together. They always wanted me to follow my dreams. My grandmother was very passionate about me following my dreams and doing what I wanted to do. Ultimately, she was scared about me venturing into the music industry just because of stories she had heard growing up, but she played a big part in how I am as an individual and a man. She was born in 1923 and she instilled a lot of morals in me that carried over into how I am now. Not only as a musician, but as a human being. I think people can hear that in my music and in the music I actually like to sample. Meridian is one of those places that reminds you how the small and simple things in life can be enough. To me, the days go by slower than in some major cities and I had the opportunity to kinda enjoy my childhood in a certain way. There was a lot of time to sit back and reflect on what you wanted and how you planned on getting it and I’m blessed to have been in a situation to actually have that kind of upbringing.

The video for “I Got This” was shot entirely in Meridian?

That was definitely Meridian. For me it was important to show people that my city was a city and that it wasn’t horseback and dirt roads. I know people hear that I’m from Mississippi and they have some sort of idea of what kind of city it is and that’s not even really the case. I just wanted to show that I’m from a city and we’re thriving.

I know one of your biggest musical influences was Bobby Womack. Did you ever have the chance to meet him before he passed?

Man I didn’t, brother. And I was so sad about it. It was mind blowing. With me wanting to work with him so bad and being so influenced and sampling his music and actually doing my research on what he had been through and what he had been able to accomplish musically, to not be able to work with him was disappointing.

And he was still very active.

Yeah! So it’s one of those things where all I can do is if I do sample him, I have to do his music justice and pay homage. When people ask me about the music I sampled and what did I listen to growing up, it’s important that they know he had a large part in what kind of music I make and the amount of passion I put in my music. He was a true soul man at the end of the day.

Looking back at “REM,” you had a line in that song that says you feel as if you failed your fans with Live From The Underground. As more time has passed, do you feel the same way and what do you think you could’ve done better?

To me, it was one of things where I dealt with so much. I went from doing mixtapes and having that freedom of just throwing music out…but when you’re signed and working on a major label album, it’s a little bit more organized. It’s a lot that goes into it when you’re sampling. It’s a lot that goes into it when you’re creating a song. You have to deal with the business aspects as well. I wasn’t 100% prepared to do what I normally do with a project and deal with the business end. I think it bled over into my music. It bled over into how I felt about having to work under those circumstances. Dealing with sample clearances was one of those things that I never had to deal with before and it was mind blowing. I would hear a song that I would want to sample and then second-guess myself. I’d shoot down an idea or possible record before I’ve even created it. I had to get over that. Also, most of the time I’m competing with myself. People would say “Alright, your last project was 4evaNaDay” and a lot of people loved that and felt that it was better than Live From The Underground.

There was a freedom with 4evaNaDay that I didn’t have with Live From The Underground — which was the sampling, which was the unexpectedness. No one expected 4evaNaDay. I dealt with a lot of that. Looking back on it now, I’m proud of Live From The Underground because I stuck to my roots as much as possible. It’s one of those things when people go back now and listen to it, they’ll be like “Damn, that shit was super jammin’.” I think it was on top of me dropping a mixtape like 4evaNaDay — all original, themed out and a crazy cover, a month before I dropped my album. Also, I had been promoting my album Live From The Underground since 2011. We had the “Country Shit” video with Luda and Bun B in March. Then “Money On The Floor” came out in September of 2011 and my album didn’t come out until June of 2012. So there was a large gap and anticipation and I’m just blessed that the fans still believe in me enough to go out, purchase, represent and ultimately pay attention. I think I learned a valuable lesson in timing and getting things done early business wise. That way, I can solely focus on the music and I can get all the ideas that I want ironed out and let that be that and then roll it out properly. I think that’s what we’re doing right now with Cadillactica. I think it’ll work. We’ve got the amazing single with Rico Love, “Pay Attention” and I’m just excited for people to hear this full body of music — and I only used three samples.

Oh wow.

The thing is, you’re not going to know what is a sample and what’s not. That was even more exciting, because I was able to create the kind of music where you would still think it was a sample.

The last time I saw you perform live was in 2011 during the Return of 4Eva tour. Is there anything you’ve learned about touring between now and then?

Oh yeah. Resting, but not going to sleep an hour before your show. Not eating a heavy meal before your show. Not indulging in too much alcohol before your show. Crowd participation and engaging with the people more. Just having fun. I used to be really critical of my stage presence at these shows. I was giving my all, but it was still supposed to be fun at the end of the day. I think the Return of 4Eva tour was the first time where I started to understand that people could have fun. I could have a message and rap my ass off at the same time. From there, the Live From The Underground tour was the beginning of me really having fun, enjoying myself and enjoying hip-hop. At this point, now it’s just about performing the new content, bringing the people out that have always supported me and then bringing new people out while enjoying this thing called hip-hop. I’m spreading the message of following your dreams, putting God first and getting money.

Even back then it seemed like you had good stage presence.

Oh yeah. I’ve learned from some of the best. David Banner was a great, great performer for me to watch and just be like “Oh shit.” So when it comes to me being on stage, it don’t even matter. We’re jumping off the stage. We’re crowd surfing. We’re throwing water. We’re having fun. I gotta look at it like it’s my last performance, because if this is it, I wanna be remembered for having the kind of performance that’s hard to forget.

You mentioned being on various tours. I know you’ve been on tour with Macklemore and others as the supporting act and also on your own tours where you’re the headliner. I would think being the headliner is the bigger thrill but do prefer performing in the more intimate smaller venues or larger arenas?

It doesn’t matter. It could be five people there, it could be five thousand people there. Again, I’m going to put on my show like it’s the last show and it’s fully packed in that thang because I remember back when there was NOBODY that cared to see me perform or there were no shows at all. I try to keep that in mind. I always love to go on tour as the headliner and see the people that are always going to jam your music, but there’s an excitement of going to perform in front of people who don’t because you gain new fans. I’ve toured with J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, like you said, Macklemore and Currensy and you always gain new fans. You’ll be out and about and people come up to you after the fact and are like “I wasn’t much of a fan of your music and this was my first time seeing you perform, but I’m glad I did and I know now.” That helps and keeps me motivated too.

Tell me about “Pay Attention”. How did that come about?

I had the opportunity to go down to Miami and work with Jim Jonsin and his team of producers, Zac and Finatik. Also, at the same time I wanted to be able to get in with Rico Wade and work because Jim Jonsin and Rico have this musical relationship where it’s cohesive and they work in a way that’s organic and it was a blessing to be able to go down there and get in the studio with both of them and create a song of that nature. For me, it was about getting out of my comfort zone. This album is a lot about that too. I was used to producing my own records and singing my own hooks and it was out of necessity at first in my career because I couldn’t afford to pay for beats and I didn’t have anybody to sing on the hooks. At this point of my career, I want to create and write in a manner where I can always take it to the next level. It was dope to get in with Rico because he has a gift for writing hooks that are relatable for everybody. It doesn’t matter where you’re from and it doesn’t matter who you are, you can relate to these hooks. When he sent that to me, I was like “I got it” as far as the verses and it was just dope to be able to add a little bit of my edge and my southern twang to it. I can still be myself, but make a record as big as “Pay Attention” and showcase my growth as I’m getting older. I want to put that in my music. I’m not K.R.I.T. from 2010.

It has that “grown and sexy” vibe to it.

Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Is that going to be the vibe for Cadillactica as a whole?

I wouldn’t say that. Cadillactica is a free-floating album in a way where I felt like I was able to talk about whatever I wanted because I created a planet to do so. Cadillactica is a planet that I created, which in reality is my conscious mind. It’s where all my creative thoughts come from. It’s where all my ideas come from. All of my pain. All my passions. All of my struggles. All of my pain. It all comes from Cadillactica. Everything is a little obscure and a little different because in your mind, it IS like that. Your mind is abstract, your ideas are abstract and I wanted to make my music seem a little abstract. I wanted the skits to be a little abstract. I wanted some of the instrumentation and singing to be abstract. I wanted the content and the topics to be abstract. I think I was able to accomplish that on this planet called Cadillactica.

A theme I’ve always noticed with your projects is the sequencing. It always starts with the crunk trunk-rattlers and as things move forward, you get into the deeper content. So with this new project, are things going to be all over the place in an abstract way?

I think every song still has purpose on this project. I think it still flows in a way and I like to think of it as flowing in a way that’s like growing up. When you’re a young adolescent, things intrigue you. You’re energetic. You’re ready. You’re like “I wanna see this, I wanna do that, I wanna be a part of this.” Then when you start slowing down, other things start to become more important. Time becomes more relevant and you’re like “Man, am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing? Am I a part of what I’m supposed to be a part of? Is this all going to be enough? There’s not enough time in the day.” Then when you get older and reflect on it all, that’s when you’re like “I think I did enough. I hope God’s proud of me. I want to leave something behind.” Normally, I think of my sequencing that way. It’s like the buildup, then the climax and then you just kinda let go and then you fade out. I think of life in that manner and I like to think of music in the same way.

The album’s coming 11.11, you’re about to hit the road and your name is being mentioned more frequently as one of the top artists in the industry today. I remember hearing a song of yours in a Crown Royal commercial a little while back, do you feel like things are finally coming together for you or is there still that chip on your shoulder?

I think that this is my journey. Some people’s success comes faster, some people’s success takes time. It takes years. It takes development. I think of it like this: I’m still building my foundation. There’s still bricks being laid but once it’s right, this building won’t ever come down. My timing is different and it all makes sense, just being from where I’m from. It’s a different place. It’s a different environment. The population is different. I have to make people want to go to where I’m from. It’s almost like sometimes I’m fighting more than just comment boxes and stuff like that, but history itself because I want to shine some positive light on my state. I don’t want to tell somebody “I’m from Mississippi” and they always have negative thoughts about it. I want to showcase it differently. That follows the suit amongst a [person like] David Banner, who was able to not only be a positive role model in hip-hop…but in life. It’s important that people understand that just because I’m country, that does not mean that I’m not intelligent. I’m intelligent. I still believe in saying something that matters. There’s a lot of people where I’m from that feel the same, but you’d have to go there to know it. I think I’m gonna pull my weight and do whatever I can to make people open their minds and visit and come check it out and look at all this history and learn about where I’m from as well as these other places.

It might be a bit too early to ask, but what’s the agenda after the tour and the rollout of Cadillactica? Or Are you just focused squarely on the album at this point?

The album is the focus point right now, but obviously [there’s the] branding of the artist. Branding Big Sant. I’m excited about what he’s going to do. His voice is crazy. The music he writes is amazing. For him, it’s the same thing with building his foundation. I think that’s going to be the next thing for me as well. Helping him with his platform. Branding Multi Alumni as much as possible. Getting into scoring movies. Producing for other artists — not just rap artists, but also soul singers and jazz musicians. Ultimately, writing and composing music in different formats.

Are you and Big Sant ever going to do an entire album together?

I’m sure that’ ll happen. I can’t tell you when or how, but it’s going to happen.

Last question, is there going to be a “My Sub 3?”

Wooo! You gotta find out for yourself. That’s all I’m going to say. I can’t speak on it too much. You just have to find out for yourself.

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The post Interview: Big K.R.I.T. Talks Bobby Womack, Artistic Growth & The Planet Cadillactica appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Houston Rap is a detailed compilation of the ups, downs and in-betweens faced by not just those involved in the rap game, but the entire community. The book is divided into sections covering topics ranging from gang violence, the daily hustle, the struggle to rise above government conspiracies, bling, beautiful women and the lives of Houston’s most talented. Featuring interviews with Z-Ro, Geto Boys, Bun B, members of the South Park Coalition, the Screwed up Click and more, this book gives Houston rap the recognition it deserves, beyond just a playlist or an article. Read our interview with Peter Beste, the book’s photographer and Houston native.

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RESPECT: When you and Lance started this project back in 2004, what did you expect to find going into Houston?

Peter: We tried to go in without too many expectations.  One of my goals was to track down some of these old school characters, some of which who had faded into obscurity, and document them in their own environments. For example, Willie D‘s former protege, female rapper Choice, who released an album on Rap-A-Lot in the early 90s was one of the first people I tried to find.  She predated Lil Kim by many years rapping about sex and that kind of stuff.  We tracked her down and she was working some corporate desk job and hadn’t rapped for years.  We visited Pharoah from Street Military who is currently serving 60 years in prison, as well as many other legends and founders.  We wanted to find the people who created this amazing sound and document their everyday lives. We wanted to make it more than just a documentary about hip-hop, as we’ve all seen endless examples of those. I think the many years we spent with this project allowed us to dig a lot deeper and to get into these peoples’ lives, witness and document the struggles of their neighborhoods, and really try to avoid the typical, superficial topics we see everyday on MTV and in the mainstream rap press.

The book essentially covers a 24 hour period from dawn until dawn,  and covers topics of philosophy, religion, neighborhood gentrification and many heavier more personal topics – all in the rappers’ own words. Of course it’s filled with neighborhood mythology and tons of Houston rap history, but we really wanted to get a broader, more sociological, or anthropological picture of this really special time and place in American history.

Choice, Houston rapper

RESPECT: The book includes a lot of what many would refer to as eye-opening pictures; were you prepared for that level of violence and extremeness?

Peter: We knew what we were getting into as far as the drugs and the violence and the other stuff that we would inevitably run into. I think what shocked me the most was the extreme nature of the police state and the effect of the prison-industrial complex on these neighborhoods. It’s an incredibly vicious cycle, and it’s almost like they are preyed upon by the system in order to fill the private prisons. That was really disheartening for me. We took that topic head on and published letters from various rappers who were incarcerated at the time and talked to a lot of the wiser, more awakened rappers about the uneven playing field they are faced with. Of course this applies to more than just Houston –  it’s countrywide, and even worldwide, to a degree. The private prison industry is such a huge money- maker for a very few people, and to be blunt,  I believe there is a trap set to fill the prisons and to gentrify these neighborhoods.

Guns-n-Syrup

RESPECT:  Bun B makes an excellent point in the foreword when he says,

“A lot of times, when we see these books or documentations of certain scenes, or if you go deep into the inner city, there’s always a wonder in the back of one’s mind if this is for the expansion of the understanding or just simply an exploitation of the environment. I’ve always handled these type of things with a little trepidation because the inner city community is already exploited. The people in the community are already being exploited.” 

What precautions did you as a photographer have to take to maintain a sense of respect towards the people in Houston?

Peter: Lance and I went into this project with a genuine respect for these people. We want to see them succeed. At the same time, we wanted to document their world in an accurate way without sugarcoating it. We show the good, the bad and the ugly. I think it was a really fine line to walk, but this approach came pretty naturally to both of us. We went in there without putting any of these artists on a pedestal, and approached them as real people. We developed some genuine relationships in the process, and this book was a natural byproduct of that.

Dat Boy Grace, Houston Rapper

RESPECT: I can attest to the book’s remarks that Houston and especially the cities’ rap scene go widely unnoticed by outsiders. After seeing the various neighborhoods and the city for yourself, what do you think inhibited awareness of the talent in Houston?

Peter:  Houston is geographically isolated, and was more or less ignored by the mainstream until the 2005 popularity explosion, with the exception of the Geto Boys and UGK. This isolation allowed Houston’s aspiring artists to develop on their own, creating their own sound, their own business model, their own CEOs, their own distribution networks, their own record labels, and even their own drugs. It was this fierce independent spirit we were attracted to – a kind of hustler, do it yourself mentality, building something out of nothing. Over time people all around the world started seeing the unique qualities and the interesting nature of the music and lifestyle. Nowadays rappers all around the world are slowing their music down, sampling DJ Screw, talking about purple drank, and various other Houston elements. Many Houston rappers are smart businessmen who realized the major labels had a history of screwing artists, especially inner-city black artists. Many of them realized that they could sign to a major label and get 50 cents per album sold, or they could cut out the middle man and learn how to do it all themselves. They learned how to produce their own records, selling them out of their trunks and through their own distribution networks, which made them $7 or $8 an album, while maintaining their integrity and doing things on their own terms.

K Water’s Recording Studio

RESPECT: How different do you think the genre of Rap would be if every artist had to pave their own way like the rappers in Houston did, and still do?  In the book, Z-Ro touches on the element of authenticity found among Houston rappers;  “There’s a difference between you know, drawing a stick figure and then painting a portrait. I’m trying to paint a portrait.” What would you say is the most noticeable difference between the mentalities of rappers of more major cities compared to Houston?

Peter: Some rappers get “lucky” and get signed immediately, and they don’t really have to pay dues the same way. They basically sign this contract that gives the major label rights to basically every bit of their entire creative output, from their merchandise sales to live concerts – everything. Many artists in this position are hooked up with certain producers and become more of a hired gun rather than a self- sufficient individual artist. I think if everybody had to follow the underground Houston model, there would be more wise and well-rounded rappers in this world. I’m not trying to say Houston is the only city like this, but they definitely cut their own teeth and figured out a thing that works for them through trial and error.

The bottom line is that they didn’t have an external script to follow. That is respectable to me. I’m not into popstar rappers,  I’m interested in the raw, underground, street rappers who tell stories about their life and their struggles without the sugarcoating.  There are very few local artists who signed major label deals right off the bat in Houston – very few before the 2005 explosion. The Geto Boys exploded nationally in the early 90s, but were on Rap-A-Lot, which is a local independent label which had some major label backing. Once the Geto Boys broke nationally around 1991 or so, it made the average aspiring rapper in the Third Ward, Fifth Ward, or South Park realize that maybe they can do it too – maybe the world can take a Houston artist seriously. Geto Boys were a huge inspiration for a lot of people.

Z-Ro, in his kitchen

RESPECT: I know this is a difficult question, but if you had to pick, what would you say is the most influential song or album to come out of Houston?

Peter: I’d say my two favorite Southern rap albums are UGK’s Ridin Dirty and DEA‘s Screwed For Life. UGK are from nearby Port Arthur but they moved to Houston and are heavily associated with the Houston scene and sound. DEA, or Dead End Alliance consisted of DJ Screw, Fat Pat, Hawk and Kay-K. Sadly, Kay-K is the only one who is still alive from that original line-up. Dead End is probably the roughest section of South Park and their 1998 album Screwed for Life is one of their classic soundtracks. This album features a young Z-Ro, Lil Keke, Big Pokey, and many other members of the Screwed Up Click.

DEA

RESPECT: You mentioned DJ Screw. Talking more about him, what do you think has allowed his legacy to live on so strongly?

Peter: Screw had a profound effect both musically and spiritually on Houston as a whole. He brought people together. Up until the early ‘90s, there was this massive beef between the North side and the South side of town. Constant carjacking’s and shootings – it was really nasty. Screw is partially credited with squashing that beef and bringing people together, and making what they were doing about Houston as a whole rather than just one neighborhood. He was a selfless visionary who brought up everybody with him, which is pretty rare in the rap game. What became the Screwed Up Click was a loose association of aspiring local rappers and friends who would come hang out at Screw‘s house all night while he was making his mixes and  freestyle over Screw’s beats. He would record them on a little grey tape and then sell them around the neighborhood. Before long it became the soundtrack to ride around the streets of South Park, and it spread like wildfire – first throughout the city, then throughout the world.  People would be like, “Who’s this guy? Oh, that’s Lil Keke, that’s Fat Pat.” All these people and many more became  huge sensations based on the midnight sessions at Screw’s house. He made dozens of people famous and started a whole movement.

Many people would say that Screw was his own radio station. He made dubbed tape copies of his mixes, and if you were lucky enough to get a Screw tape, you would dub it for all of your friends and then they would dub it for theirs, and there would be 10^th generation tape copies spreading around the world.

DJ Screw’s grave

RESPECT: Thanks to DJ Screw, music that is Chopped and Screwed has become somewhat of a phenomenon. Why do you think syrup and screwed tracks took off so quickly in Houston?

Peter: A lot of people say that Screw music was kind of a soundtrack to the hot weather and sprawling highways of Houston, and was essentially theme music for the landscape and lifestyle of the city. There’s so many different components to it and it goes so deep, but the bottom line is that is communicates to a lot of people, even 13 years after his death. Lots of folks can relate to it.

RESPECT: Now that you’ve completed the book and finished this journey, what do you think is the main thing people need to know about the culture of Houston and more specifically the rap culture?

Peter: There are so many different artists, so many different neighborhoods, and so many different styles of rap the city has invented and perfected. What I want the average person to know is that Houston goes much deeper than candy painted cars and purple drank, which is sadly what is focused on by the mainstream. All one has to do is scratch the surface and you will find one of the richest and most culturally relevant musical styles of the 20th/21st century.

C-Note in South Park

RESPECT: Where do you see the Houston rap culture going in the next couple of years?

Peter: Mainstream attention comes and goes, but I believe that the average Houston rapper will continue to do what they do regardless of that outside attention. Texas is big enough to support its own.  They’ve built this from nothing, and at the end of the day they are still going to continue making their own music, promote it their own way and do what they want to do. The styles and the sounds and the names and the faces will change over time, but I think that the do- it-yourself mentality and that drive to succeed on their own terms will stick around for a very long time. The underdog story of artists succeeding on their own terms is inspiring for anyone.

Bun B and Friends

Houston Rap is currently in stores. You can order the “Sinecure Exclusive” edition which includes Houston Rap in a beautiful slipcase painted by Gonzo 247 (pictured above), a fold-out poster, and a DJ Screw/ Fat Pat 7” vinyl record. You can also order the “Deluxe Bundle” which features the slipcased Houston Rap book, the  DJ Screw/ Fat Pat 7”,  DJ Screw ALL SCREWED UP 2LP, a signed print,  the companion book Houston Rap Tapes, and a Fat Pat: Ghetto Dreams documentary DVD, which all comes in a Sinecure Books Tote Bag. Both of these special editions are super limited and are available at www.sinecurebooks.com.  If you want a signed copy of only the book itself, you can order it directly from www.peterbeste.com.

Rarely do you find such a real, accurate, and eye-opening book on the rap culture. RESPECT. sincerely hopes you don’t pass up the opportunity to broaden your rap knowledge with this extraordinary book.

The post Interview: Photographer Peter Beste Goes Beyond the Music appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Hearing the name Scarface, many think of the popular 1983 film starring a young Al Pacino, but Scarface, the rapper, is looked at as one of the South’s greatest to ever touch a mic.  His success began when he signed to Rap-a-Lot Records in 1989 as the newest member of the Ghetto Boys, which would soon be renamed to Geto Boys. Their first album together in 1989, Grip It! On That Other Level, was a huge hit thanks to the blend of political conscious and twisted violent raps on records like “Do It Like a G.O.” and “Mind Of A Lunatic.” Scarface released his debut solo project, Mr. Scarface Is Back, in 1991 garnering him some extra popularity, but he was still over shined by the Geto Boys’ release of We Can’t Be Stopped that same year.

Scarface managed to be successful at a time when southern rap, and even rap in general, wasn’t popular on a mainstream level. Probably due to his demented and horror filled lyrics, Scarface and the Geto Boys’ songs weren’t played often on northern radio and some videos were banned from MTV. Still, Scarface continue to push southern rap in front of the public eye. His solo career climaxed between 1994 and 1998 with the release of three straight platinum albums. The Untouchable put Scarface at the very top of the Billboard 100 chart in 1997 with the lead single “Smile” featuring a recently slain Tupac Shakur. When the new millenium arrived Scarface signed a deal with Def Jam Records, and simultaneously became the president of Def Jam South, signing the Atlanta based rapper Ludacris. His 2002 release, The Fix, included several features and producers; Vocalists Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Nas, and Faith Evans along with production work from Kanye West, The Neptunes, Mike Dean, and Nottz. Today, Scarface is allegedly working on a new album, and has done feature verses for other artist such as the Insane Clown Posse and 2 Chainz.

The post Hip Me To … Scarface appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.